To ask if you consider 60 elderly

[Sevendaysaweek]

I would say maybe early older adulthood.

Lol.
I'm 52. As I could still get a mortgage til 72, I hope 60 isn't elderly.
My dmum is 80 And she has become elderly in the lastf we months

This is quite useful anything above a 3/4 would be elderly for me.

Mam is 80 and I think moving from 3 to 4

Doesn't the WHO count 60 as 'elderly'? I was shocked when I read it.

No 60 is not elderly.

No, but I really really think it depends on the person.

I know some sixty year olds in full time work who are super fit and active, and others that clearly struggle with their health and would struggle with a trip to the supermarket.

My parents are in their mid-late sixties. Both fit as fiddles, very healthy, exercise daily and no real health issues apart from some mild asthma on my mum's side. My aunt and uncle on the other hand are a couple of years older, both overweight and struggle to get about, both diabetic, don't do any exercise whatsoever and seem about 20 years older than they are.

Lifestyle and overall health has a lot to do with how you feel and appear to others I think.

Not at all

Definitely not!!!!

I guess we need to distinguish eldery from being in poor health

No I don't. It's not too far away for me!

A lot depends on where you live in the world and your ability to access healthcare.

I’m 60, slim, eat well, exercise daily and have never smoked and yet I’m bloody exhausted.
I had my children in my late 30’s and if they do the same I won’t be a grandma until I’m in my 70’s which makes me sad because I just don’t think I would be able to help them out. I simply won’t have the energy to care for a young child.
So yes I think 60 is old.

I probably would have when I was younger but I base my assessment on my own parents who are 65 and 67. They are both so youthful and fun and others can’t believe their age!

No, 60 used to be thought of as elderly but not anymore I don't think,

No, but totally depends on the person. I’ve met some incredibly “elderly” people in their 60s and some ridiculously non elderly people in their 80s.

Depends. Two of my grandparents died in their 60s and I'd say they were elderly. My other two are both in good health over 80yrs old now and I would describe them as elderly, but fit and well.

Just to add - when I booked my flu vaccination the woman on the phone at the doctor's surgery asked if I needed a ride to the surgery, and I almost yelled "No, I'm young, I can walk!" It wasn't until I had hung up that I remembered I was 60. I'm now 61 and looking for a job, so no, not elderly.

I have a good friend who just turned 60 (im 42). She is no way elderly. She is less elderly than a lot of younger people I know.

My dad is 75. Although will be made redundant from Jan, he walks 7 plus miles a day.

I'd say if the obesity crisis continues, and all the health issues it brings, then yes 60 will be elderly, but at the moment it is 85 plus for me.

@hopefulhalf

This is quite useful anything above a 3/4 would be elderly for me.

for clarity, for those not familiar with the CFS scale, it is not validated for the under 65s

If it did, a 3 or 4 would be a totally typical score for MNetters who don't exercise other than walking and maybe have a health niggle.

60 is way under the retirement age, and does not seem particioarly old, let alone elderly

I’m 66 and very far from “elderly” either physically or mentally.

I think being elderly is a state of mind as much as anything else. I don’t think I’m old, I don’t act or live as if I’m old, so I don’t feel old.

No way

No definitely not.

No.

''Older'' (than young)

But not elderly.

Elderly to me conjures up an image of a frail person who needs help with at least some things.

No. And it's bloody rude to think so too. It's working age.

Not generally.
But 'elderly' is a state of mind as well. My DM is only a couple of years older than MIL. She appears a lot older though. My DM is definitely moving into the 'older grandmother' stage of life. She's only mid sixties. My grandmother, on the other hand, I never saw as elderly. She had sports results published after her death for example... In the same edition of the newspaper as her obituary. She died in her late 70s.