How long would you want to live?

With life expectancy continuing to climb, a new report is raising the age-old question: How long would you want to live?

With life expectancy continuing to climb, a new report is raising the age-old question: How long would you want to live?

The conversation on Monday’s Ross and Burbank stemmed from a story in The New York Times reporting scientists continue making major strides in combating aging. Science reporter David Ewing Duncan said he posed the question about how long you’d like to live to nearly 30,000 people during talks over the last three years.

The results: some 60 percent opted for a life span of 80 years. Another 30 percent chose 120 years, and almost 10 percent chose 150 years. Less than 1 percent embraced the idea that people might avoid death altogether.

Unless there are some major breakthroughs, Ross said he can’t envision living to 120.

“If I look like the average 120 year old looks today, no.”

“My ideal is to stay in shape and then at some point when the body gives up just sort of keel over. I do not want to spend any time in a nursing home. If you’re going to spend the last 20 years of your life hooked up to something I don’t see much point to that,” Ross said.

“I fear getting old really bad, Dave,” guest co-host Andrew Walsh. “I think about it all the time,” said the 35-year-old.

But both noted age still seems relative, with each feeling in many ways the same they did years ago.

“I think if you take care of yourself and get a little exercise and walk a lot you can feel great,” Ross said. “I think the question posed by this is do we want to spend a lot of research and money on extending lives 20 or 30 years or spend it on something else.”

One thing is clear from the report, unless someone comes up with an anti-aging drug, few if any want to live forever.

Dorothy in DuPont had some advice for Andrew:

Andrew, Don’t be afraid of getting old. It turns out to be relative. I have a daughter your age (Dave knows her from G&S). I was 42 when she was born and I cried because I was so old. Now she and I are both pretty wonderful. I’ll be 89 next birthday, walk 2 miles a day, and do Tai Chi twice a week. Still pursuing career goals. As long as I can wake up every morning excited about the possibilities of the day ahead, I’m still the person I always was. Nothing to fear.