To be surprised that 65+ is deemed ‘elderly’

I think I see it as:

0-1 baby
1-3 toddler
3-13 child
13-19 - teenager
19-25 young adult
25-65 - adult (proper grown up!)
65- 80 - old
80+ - elderly

It is partly luck and health, but also mindset.

I know a 92 year old who is redecorating his bedroom. He wants to get it done before he gets old apparently. He runs every morning too.

I’ve just been reading about an elderly actor filming his latest film near me - 61-year-old Tom Cruise, Mission Impossible I think it was.

I'm in my 50s and I'd say that's old.

I'm inclined to agree with you - I work in a hospital and the system automatically orders lying and standing blood pressures ("elderly" patients are more prone to a drop when they stand, so can be a common cause of falls) on anyone aged 65 and over.

Butt often these patients are still very independent, getting around just fine, NOT falling, yet we can get in trouble if we haven't done it, even if the person didn't come in with a fall and neither myself nor the doctors think one is needed.

55 seems to young to be old.
Admittedly my MiIL seemed old at 50, but I think she is the exception

Recently had vehicle trouble. Phoned the RAC. Was stuck near Glenshee and told that it would take 8 hrs for someone to get to me.

Call handler asked whether I had any medical issues.

Moi: "No, apart from being 63 and nervous."

"Right. So that's medical issues - 'elderly and nervous'."

Of course they exist, but they exist in any decade you care to name. Many of the people I know in their 70s are either working, or doing a lot of volunteering. I can't think of a single frail person in their 70s that I know.

Agreed

@Chillin2Day True for 55, but in practice usually people that age with a disability. A friend moved into an over 55s bungalow in a housing association at 57, but she had a stroke.

The amount of family etc I know not reaching 65 (another just died last month age 59/60) means yeah..........I think elderly

At 55 you can start to access certain types of housing & accommodation

Over 60s discounts

Looking on the Internet

I have found classifications

Late 60s - young old
Middle old
Old old 80+
100+ super old
105+

As usual it depends on social class. If you’re playing golf in your 70s chances are you’re pretty well off. You may well have health conditions like high bp but undoubtedly you’ll have better access to a decent GP and it will be better controlled. It’s well known that there are huge health inequalities dependent on where you live and your wealth.
On the other hand in my job I’ve met 60 and even 50 year olds who are relatively frail due to poverty and associated long term health conditions etc
yet you’ll have hale and hearty 80 year olds still very active who’ve had relatively comfortable lives, no hardship.

I think you'll find that by the time anyone reaches 60 - 'elderly' is at least someone 20 years older!! My Mother, aged 86 at the time, referred to 'an old dear' I had been speaking to!!

LoL!! 😁

Me too.

I think it depends what sort of job you had during your working life & other factors which determine your overall health. This is especially so, if you had a manual job.

I believe that health starts to decline at 50

Some of my colleagues & friends have passed away in their 50s & 60s, which is far too early !

55 middle age, this is also the current age that you can access some private pensions

66 current state pension age - old

80 + elderly

I do know people 90 + who are going strong, but they are the exception

I have not met anyone who is 100+ yet

Yes I knew lots of people with great grandparents in school. I just love the family photos that are great grandparents, grandparents, parents, children.
I'm early 30s and don't have any grandparents but I'm at that age where some of my friends have children and grandparents still.

Elderly is 60+ I'd say.

I agree. Most of my friends were born when their parents were in their 20s and have had kids themselves in their 20s or very early 30s.
Nearly everyone of DSs mates have grandparents in their 50s/60s. DS is one of the few with a grandparent in their 70s. But also more and more kids "these days" seem to have great grandparents they actually know. Most of my friends these days still have at least one grandparent.

These are the joys of an aging population. Quality of life has massively improved in the later years. Long may it continue

Also my grandmother was a grandmother by 40 and sadly passed away by 60. My other grandparents were similar ages, but lived longer, all passed by 75 though.

That's interesting, I remember my school friends' parents' 40th birthdays, mostly when we were doing A-levels / early uni (and to our young teenage brains it was very much "wow that is very old"). I don't think any of my friends at that stage had parents who were 50+.

That’s interesting. We are clearly from very different demographics, and I wonder if that is impacting who we think of as old.

I only know one person who was a grandparent at 50. I know far more people in their 50s with school-aged children (or who will have).

My grandmother still had a 6 year old child when she was 52. From that perspective it really doesn’t seem old!