How Old Would You Say Someone “ Elderly “ Is?

[RabbitsRock]

I was shocked to read a review online that described ladies in their 50s or 60s as elderly! It wasn’t possible to comment otherwise I would have posted a stiff objection! I would say late 70s or into the 80s is more like it! I’m 58 & definitely wouldn’t describe myself as elderly!

Youngerly

Interesting thread.

My parents are in their mid 70's, and I wouldn't have thought of them as elderly until very recently - they are starting to struggle with the odd thing, and slowing down in general. They were 20 when I was born so always seemed young.

My paternal grandparents lived into their 90's, mothers side all died in their late 60's/early 70's, and they were definitely elderly.

When I think about my grandparents, they looked old from their 40's, whereas my parents have only recently started to look old to me.

I'm mid 50's, so middle aged, and in about 12 years I'll be elderly!

I think your view is influenced by the health of the person in question and your own age. I know 60 year olds who are frail and in poor health - I would call them 'elderly', and I know a 70 year old who walks twenty miles at a time three times a week, I would not call her 'elderly'.

I'm 63, run 25 miles a week, work two jobs, drive, keep a house etc etc. I don't think of myself as 'elderly', but I'm sure to my 17 year old workmates I am!

I’d say 80/85 onwards. My parents and their friends are late 70s and are, thankfully, full of life and energy and don’t seem frail or elderly at all to me.

Over 70 but depends on your health. I have a neighbour who is 86 and does not seem elderly at all!

My MIL believed you became elderly at 50 and ruined her health by believing it. It was a shock in her late 60s when her health deteriorated.

I know people in their 70s who still work, cycle, swim , play tennis, lots of travel and are fitter than me. Then again I was chatting to someone and was shocked to find out they were mid fifties as they looked much older. I think theres a lot of things that can age people, booze, cigarettes, obesity, lots of sunshine without spf, poor diet, drug use. It’s not necessarily visible till later on but it all seems to catch up.

80+. People do age at different rates though. My dad is 75 and still out walking every day, doing his gardening, and he works part time too. My mum is 72 and barely leaves the house, struggles to walk let alone get up and down the stairs, and requires daily care. She's more elderly than my dad.

Over 40

I think 75+ is technically elderly, even though my Dad was still very active at that age. At 86, he needs a walker but is still mentally alert.

its the in-between bit that I’m unsure about. 60-75 isn’t middle-aged simply because humans don’t live long enough, but most ppl are still very active. What should that era be called?

You can be very, very old (90+) without being elderly. Elderly is about frailty and a mindset. My two sets of grandparents are 15 years apart. My older grandparents are still full of the joie de vivre in their 80s, the younger set are fully elderly at just turned 70, and have been acting like they're on death's doorstep despite having no health issues since turning 50.

I feel it's a bit dependent on the individual - it you can get people who seem young and sprightly in their 80s, you can get people who seem 'elderly' in their 70s.

My in-laws, late 70s, are definitely not 'elderly' - my parents, mid 70s, are definitely heading that way.

But I don't think I'd ever describe anyone under mid 70s at the youngest as 'elderly' these days.

I'd say 80+, though it depends on health. My dad is 77 and still runs around after my five year old (though we do tell him to take care!) and my mum's a year younger and still climbs ladders to cut things back in the garden.

I can see they're definitely aging faster now and I suspect the next five years will hasten the process, but they're both still mentally sharp and physically fit at the moment.

I see "elderly" as more descriptive of age related frailty than an absolute age.

I've had a number of relatives get through their 70s in a healthy state of extended middle-age, but once past 80, their resilience to illness or injury has faded and they've been in a more fragile, elderly stage by 85 where they struggle to bounce back to where they were prior to any set back. The number of people still in an active, healthy state past 85 is rare. I've worked with volunteers in active roles in their early 90s who really were remarkable people. One went walking up Snowdon on his 85th birthday.

The reality is though that there's often a wide gap between healthy life expectancy and life expectancy. Different neighbourhoods of a town can have variations of decades between their healthy life expectancies, and it's strongly connected with poverty/ affluence. Chronic ill health and adverse lifestyles/ living conditions can give people in their 70s, 60s, 50s or possibly even younger health issues associated with "geriatric" health, and similar complications of recovery. I wouldn't by default call those ages elderly though.

I'm with the poster resisting being "elderly" in her 70s. Ignoring chronological age and being as "young" and active as you can is the best way to stave off aging sooner than your biology absolutely needs to. Life is finite. There's no point in accelerating years of decline and end of life where there are better quality of life choices avaliable.

Elderly is my mum - 87.
I am old, not elderly.

My mum and my FIL are the same age, both mid 80s. FIL is elderly and my mum
Is definitely not!

I think it's a combination of chronological age and physical health and fitness. I'd say that from mid 80s it's becoming less usual to have good health and fitness and being elderly rather than just old is more likely.

I'd say I am old as I am in my mid 50s but would say 50s is not old enough to be "elderly".

I’m in my early 40s and I do love a good scarf.

And having just discovered the Merlin bird app, I’ve spent many a sunny morning with my cuppa watching the birds, tending to my peony bushes and wishing I had a lovely bird feeder.

Maybe elderly isn’t an actual age, maybe you’re just born with an elderly soul.

Haha I have Merlin too

Am perhaps in denial

61 and same!

As a generic measure, about 85+

My FIL is 80 next year and (God willing) still energetic and very able both physically and mentally.

Some people could be 'elderly' in their 60s, others will simply be 'mature adults' until they drop dead, whatever their age.

People are living longer now so general terms like elderly have had their parameters shifted - I'd estimate that elderly these days would probably be considered to be 80+

I think that elderly is related to chronological age and for me that’s 80+. People who say “it depends and I know someone aged x who…” are talking about frailty, which is different, and certainly is variable.

Wtf - I’m in my 50s and def not elderly!
id say 75+ if not 80, depending on state of health.

70+

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