A main aim of the paper is decomposition of changes in life expectancies by age groups in the postwar Poland.
The analysis is based on measures used in the so called "potential demography", i.e. branch of population studies dealing with calculation individual and group changes in life expectancies. Source of data under study is period life tables for the Polish population, 1950-2008.
In the first two postwar decades increase in life expectancy at age 0 was concentrated among young people. The closer to the newest times, the greater impact of mortality reduction in the elderly population, especially in the oldest old (80+). The changes are more distinct in females.
The most important effect of the study is quantification how different age groups mortality reduction impacts life expectancy of the newborn.
Concentration of increases in life expectancy in the elderly population underlines how important is geriatrics and medical procedures focused on specific health needs of the elderly for further advancements in public health.