elderliness

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what's your definition of old age ?

75

Older than me !!

I think on an individual level, it varies greatly - health & fitness, attitude, wealth, resilience all play their part.

So from this healthy, fit 64 year old, ‘elderly’ is 75 plus.

People age at different rates, some are creaking at 60 and some are spritely at 90. For medication purposes there is a cut off of 65 but that is just a guide.

Good question: I think there's a huge difference between being old and being elderly! ....

I'll be 72 at the weekend and don't consider myself to be "elderly" because I'm very fit and in good health for my age, have active and creative hobbies, can still rock a pair of size 10 skinny jeans and have a good social life. Many of my closest friends are women in their 40s - 50s who are still working or running businesses, have school age kids etc, and who treat me as a contemporary.

I think of being "elderly" as being old in mind and body (regardless of physical age), infirm, dependent on others for care and support and regarded by others as old. I don't think of myself in those terms, so, whilst I am old, I am not - and don't ever intend to be - elderly.

I think "elderly" carries different connotations from "old age"

80+.
I have four neighbours this age and one is still working in a demanding job, and the other three are busy travelling and doing various things like swimming/gym/weekends away. They don’t seem elderly to me but other people I know of the same age who don’t have much going on, do seem elderly.

From this fit healthy 70 year old it's about 80 🤣

Elderly to me is more about frailty than chronological age.

My mum was elderly by 70 - she was struggling with grief and very bad arthritis and heat failure.

Her own mum didn’t hit elderly territory until about 85. She was full of beans and was on her feet all day working as a ICU nurse until 75.

Another theory I have is that being a nasty spiteful shit keeps you young somehow, or at least fuelled with non-elderly energy - my dad never seemed elderly even though he was very unwell from about 60 onwards, because he was pickled in venom and vengefulness. Same with his sister, who was a well oiled machine fuelled by contempt and aggression.

I think 'elderly' is about more than just age. To me, an elderly person is an older person who is vulnerable, frail or otherwise needs extra help due to their age. Often this is due to health, but it can also be about the choices they make and outlook on life.
My parents were both 'elderly' from early 70s as they had some health issues, didn't want to change they way they did things to keep up with the times, and even when they were physically well they didn't like to go anywhere or do anything. MIL is almost 80 and I would not class her as 'elderly'; she is totally independent, has a good social life and is fit and well.

Yesterday I had a cup of tea with a friend. She fitted me into her busy schedule between tennis and pilates, and had cycled to the cafe. She's 82.

On the other hand I know someone who is late 60s but already seems elderly with a very small world.

I think it is partly luck but mostly an attitude of mind.

I agree that elderly is a state of mind rather than anything else. I'm 65 (and I still find it odd typing that, as I certainly don't feel it) but I'm very fit and active, running, cycling, Pilates, horse riding, driving here there and everywhere. I have a friend who's 71 who is likewise very fit and walks a lot, but she has absolutely no comprehension about how to use computers - she uses telephone banking, can't shop online etc. So physically she isn't old, but her mental outlook (she also won't drive anywhere she doesn't know or is built up, has never driven on a motorway etc) sometimes strikes me as being 'old'.

I agree elderly is a state of mind but if I had to pick a number I’d say 80+

My mum is 66 and is desperate to be elderly, her world is very small and she won’t accept any help to bring her out of herself a bit. It’s entirely possible she could live another 30 years! Seems madness to accept being ‘elderly’ for 30 years of your life. It won’t be me anyway.

I guess there’s probably a cut off age whereby everyone is essentially referred to as “elderly” offhand, though if I’m thinking specifically it’s more infirmness rather than a particular age of itself. My neighbour at 77 is very definitely elderly - unsteady on his feet, quite frail, signs of memory loss, picks up every respiratory illness going. I’d call him “an elderly man.” His wife of the same age I just call “an older woman” - she’s stomping around everywhere, dragging the dog around the park in all weathers, belongs to a women’s walking group, wouldn’t - I imagine - take kindly to being called elderly.