An overview of conceptions of the successful ageing with positive impacts on the improvement of the quality of life, on decreased dependence in activities of daily living, and on demands for health-social care in senescence is given. Necessity of altering of sanitary services and outlooks on the geriatric patients corresponding to the demographic development and improvement of their functional state is stressed. Concepts of the upgrowth of the life expectancy are given. The phenomenon of rectangularization of the survival curve in the population of the Czech Republic during the 20th century is demonstrated and the prospect till the middle of 21st century for the population structure, life expectancy, longevity index are presented.

        Key words: senescence, ageing, rectangularization of the survival curve, disease prevalence, life expectancy, longevity, geriatry, demography.