To think 60 is old aged

[Goodtimes80]

And 35 Middle aged?

in common parlance "old" is the opposite of "new"

Hmmm. If I have to refer to myself as a consumer durable, I'm vintage heading towards antique. New people, I guess, might be children under five. This makes everyone between 5 and 55 used, pre-owned or second hand

yabu 60 old wtf????

It totally depends on the person. I know 60 year olds who are old. I know 70 year olds who are so fit and healthy they don't seem old in the slightest.

To continue Trudy's gay pride analogy: protesting that you can't be old or middle aged because you go bungee jumping / clubbing / take drugs / whatever, is akin to arguing that a woman can't be gay because she likes pretty frocks.

Today I am wearing a skirt and shoes from H&M. This doesn't make me any younger than a woman who dresses in the M&S Classic Collection. Nor does it make me 'youthful' or even 'young at heart'. It just means I'm a middle aged woman on a budget who likes fashion.

Exactly- every 60 year old is the same age (quite old but not elderly). Saying some are "older" than others on the basis of a stereotypical (and quite offensive) defined set of abilities and attitudes is bollocks. Young people don't have the monopoly on positivity, energy, open mindedness, etc.

And what about 20 year olds who are disabled or chronically ill? Are they old because they aren't healthy, can't bungee jump or aren't fit?

When is the article being published?

im 30, My mum is 57, Dad 52 and step dad 50. I just class them as 'in their 50s' I dont think I've ever used the term 'middle aged' to describe anyone. my nan is 'in her 70s' (78 I believe) and i wouldn't say she's old.

so to answer the OP ..
YABU

Of course 20 yr olds can't be old- people get really silly about these things!
A 60 yr old is not old either.
Times have changed. People are going to have to work until they are 68yrs because we no longer expect the biblical 'three score year and ten' and lots of people live to 100 years now. With the old life expectancy people retired with their clock and expected a few years pottering around. Now they are likely to go travelling, take on a new job, volunteer etc, etc. and can expect decades. My mother is onto her 3rd decade of retirement.
My grandmother was old at 60yrs, my mother wasn't and I am not.

35 middle aged? Fuck off. I'm still a youngster

My nan is 60 years of age.

She works full time and often overtime. She looks after her grandchildren, my cousins are a lot younger than my mum's children. She dances around and does her gardening listening to Bob Marley.

She is no where near old, you are only as old as you feel so nope I don't think 60+ is old. Heck even my great gran who is well into her 80s still runs for the bus!

I don't agree that greater life expectancy = old age beginning later - I just think it means that it lasts longer.

Life expectancy has increased. So has the number of years when you can expect to be ill.
My father volunteered for Age Concern in his mid 80s, helping old people get to and from a Lunch club. A lot of them were a lot younger than him, and in much worse health.

Life expectancy in the UK is currently 79 for a man, 83 for a woman.

Therefore average middle age for a man is approx 39.5 and for a woman is 41.5

There's no getting away from that.

That may be true for some people, but for many the years of remaining pretty healthy have dramatically improved. There simply isn't a one size fits all with this, which is why trying to put a number on what constitutes 'old' is futile.

It does also depend a lot on the context. A footballer is 'old' after what? 35? I may have described myself as 'old' on occasion when explaining to a new colleague why I've got an odd setup (based on having been around forever) ... though today I called myself 'an historical anomaly' instead.

Statistically, the number of years people spend ill before dying, has increased. Obviously there are exceptions, but it is true. Many of these health conditions may not be obvious to a casual onlooker, but it is partly because many things that used to kill people, are now chronic illnesses that need treating for years.

Life expectancy is extending so much now, 60 is not remotely old unless you want it to be. But why ask? Why do you want to label people, or yourself? Is age the most important characteristic, always?

There are people on here who seem to want 60yrs to be old- I expect they will change their mind when they get there and don't feel any different and haven't slowed down.

I will get there next year! It doesn't change my opinion that old age is a fact not a state of mind (although I don't think it starts at 60 either).

I think the labelling is coming from those posts that categorise 'old' as meaning unfit, narrow minded etc.

I think the labelling is coming from those posts that categorise 'old' as meaning unfit, narrow minded etc.

Yeah, but the same posters say of course an unfit, narrow-minded 20 year old isn't 'old'

And I still think we should demand clarity on what categories of people are allowed out when it's busy!

Some posts have talked about people being old at 40 or even born old - as if old age and middle age were some kind of moral failing rather than just normal life stages. I think it's bizaree.

or bizarre even though I quite like bizaree...

Just come back to say that there were some interesting old ladies on the Andrew Marr show this morning.
Hillary Clinton, Harriet Harman and Lulu.

Lulu can't be old because she's been on Strictly! That Harriet Harman though - now she was born old

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll go away now.

I think they would all fight the label.