Pace,
Is repeating yourself a sign of growing older, do you think?
Think old? A whole separate issue. Our society is somewhat obsessed with chonological age, don't you think? "Old" is a taboo word. If you say you're old, people fall over backwards to tell you it's not true. Why? What on earth does it matter? What do I call myself in my 60s - young? Why has a simple descriptive word acquired all these negative connotations?
The political issues - ah, that's a whole separate thing, and I don't feel inclined to get into it right now, though you are of course correct with respect to the government and pension goalposts. Living longer and healthier does not mean being the same as a far younger person.... or not for everyone, anyway.