Forget 100 years old, 105 is the new benchmark for longevity as the number of centenarians gets set to soar.

 

New figures made public by Statistics New Zealand show the number of people aged over 65 has increased while the number of people in the 0-14 age bracket has dropped.

 

Ten years ago 23 per cent of the population was in the youngest age bracket, compared with 20 per cent now, while the 65-plus group has grown from 12 to 13 per cent.

 

The median age is 36.7, an increase of 2.2 years compared with a decade ago.

 

Population Statistics manager Bridget Hamilton-Seymour said there were more people in the older age groups, a trend that was set to continue.

 

"The number of people aged 100 and over has increased significantly during the last 60 years."

And the number of people aged over 100 was expected to have a big increase. Although mortality rates made exact predictions difficult, the number of people over 90 was predicted to double by 2030.

 

Ivy Dwyer, of Wellington's Kilmarnock Heights Home, exemplifies the trend towards older age. At 104, she never expected to live so long, but has simple advice for the growing number who will follow her to ripe old age.

 

"Keep busy and take things as they come. Don't go for things that are not right, try and push them away."

 

Despite experiencing two broken hips, and being a little deaf, Mrs Dwyer is still able to get

around with her walker, and enjoys making greeting cards. "It keeps me occupied."

 

Natalie Jackson, National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis director, said it was no surprise that more people were living past 100. The old benchmark for a long life was shifting, with people less surprised when someone reached the milestone.

 

"The elderly of today are vitally different to the elderly of the past."

 

This year there is believed to be up to 500 centenarians living in New Zealand, but fewer than 40 would be aged 105 years or over.

 

A combination of factors was helping people live longer, Dr Jackson said.

The round of people currently hitting the century were all born as medical breakthroughs helped reduce the infant mortality rate, and the further medical advances meant new drugs were helping people stay alive longer, she said.

 

But there was a downside, and the country needed to start planning for an older population, she said. "We're going to have more elderly than children in the population in little over a decade."

The figures also estimated the population to be 4,393,500 by year's end, a 1.1 per cent rise on 2010.

 

Official Demographic Trends 2010 Report is available from http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/demographic-trends-2010.aspx

Section on life expectancy is available from http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/demographic-trends-2010/chapter4.aspx