To ask if you consider 60 elderly

[Sevendaysaweek]

I would say maybe early older adulthood.

Absolutely not!

No certainly not. Most 60 year olds are still working. I don’t even really consider my mother in law elderly at 77, though I know other people that age who do seem elderly.

I think past 70 you can be elderly, but it’s more about health then actual age.

Our local paper still has articles with headlines something like "grandmother's ordeal..." and when you open it it's a 50 something woman who had a sofa delivered a week late.

@katy1213

No - but if you ask Mumsnetters what a 60+ woman wants for Christmas, it'll be bedsocks and jigsaws. Or possibly a tag to remind you when you forget your own name.

Exactly. What I really want is a Biker jacket from that shop I can’t remember the name of. Oh shit, maybe it is.

I'm over 60 and don't feel elderly at all. Still working, still travelling, very active and outdoorsy, do my own decorating, gardening, mountain walks....

However, I've noticed society treats me differently. When I was in my late 50's it wasn't an issue, now I'm just over 60 it suddenly is. I look younger than my years so when someone finds out how old I actually, they change the way they deal with me. Very sad....and a bit irritating.

I am 60 and still have a teenage child and a 20 year old living at home.

Before this pandemic I was about to start a new business in the US.

I had a couple of friends who were 1 year older than Dp and I respectively.
They were elderly in their 40s and now seeing them in town, from afar they look like they don’t have much time left. I thought I was looking at a pair of 90 year olds and then realised it was the couple I knew.

Good lord, no!

I'll be 60 in a couple of months time. I'm probably fitter than when I was in my 20s, my hair is still long and naturally blonde - I honestly don't think anyone would look at me and think 'elderly' or even 'older'. I'm working, a job which requires understanding quite difficult scientific stuff, continuing to learn, and be creative. Next week I need to start coding in Python, DD tells me it's like C++ with less punctuation so I don't suppose it'll be too hard to pick up well enough.

Maybe we could define 'elderly' as a combination of physical frailty and being unable or unwilling to learn new tricks?

Umm no! Elderly is 75 plus.

60 you are still working and in your prime

Nope. My parents are both 60 and far from elderly. I know 70 year olds I don’t really consider elderly!

I think some people grow into their age. A couple that lived opposite my mum and dad seemed like an elderly couple in their 40s....but they havent really changed. Now they are in their 70s and look similar to they did 30 years ago and look about their age!

Absolutely not. I am just 60 and am fitter and more active now than I was in my 50's. Bed socks are definitely not on my Christmas list, but woolly socks for winter outdoor swimming, maybe!

I consider 60 to be old. Elderly would be anyone over 70 in my opinion.

Age is a number; behaving in an elderly way is a state of mind or due to an individual's health and frailty.

My hair is well cut and coloured, whilst not on trend my clothes are not frumpy, I own and wear a pair of biker boots.

I think its very subjective and also relative.

I know a someone who's 78 and still a working clinician. Also know of university lecturers in their late 70s.

As a HCP myself (in late 20s) I have come across people in their 50's that many would consider "elderly".

I think it depends on functional status, frailty, quality of life, general health etc. Eg. a 60 year old that's jet-setting around the world and attending more gym classes than me with 74 other hobbies with a bright and spritely personality would seem much younger than a 60 year old who has multiple comorbidities, don't leave their house unless its for a Dr's appointment/ weekly shop, poor mobility/ inactive would probably be considered as "elderly".

Lifestyle choices probably have a huge role to play in how we are all like when we get to 60. So its never too late to eat better, move more etc!

@Sceptre86

I consider 60 to be old. Elderly would be anyone over 70 in my opinion.

You won’t when YOU reach 60 I can assure you.

Of course 60 is old.

LMAO at the definition given which has 39 as young, 40-70 as middle age; and the post saying 77 can't be old because Joe Biden is 77.

I find it bizarre that so many people can't cope with acknowledgement of their age. Rather than keep changing the word, why not fight the stereotype that old = useless?

Nobody is saying that you can’t be fit and active when you’re older, if you’re lucky. But you’re still not young!

I am 57 soon. I look mid to late forties as I take plenty vitamins and use good skincare. I dont think 60 is old now I am approaching it lol.

why not fight the stereotype that old = useless

Amen to that.

In public health programmes, age 50+ = "older adults" and no older group usually separated out. So age 50 Lumped right in with the 90 yr olds when designing health promotion campaigns. In advertising & marketing, age 55+ is often the oldest age category. They lump the 55 yr olds with the 85 yr olds.

I reckon MNers bring the huge age band generalisations on themselves when they aspire to retire at 55.

ps: I'm 53 & think I'm old. FFS, I clearly remember things that happened almost 50 yrs ago. It's a long time. No shame in being 'old'.

Definitely not. I don't even consider 60-69 as being middle aged. "Old" to me starts at around 87/88 and even that depends on the person.
I'm 24.

Probably many in their 70's and 80's wouldn't consider themselves as 'elderly', considering all the negative stereotyping that goes along with it. So much of it is a mindset and those reaching these years after the boomers are going to challenge these stereotypes big time. I have big plans for my later years which do not involve festering with dementia in a care home.

Those saying old is about being frail some people of 40 are frail due to health conditions or illness doesn’t make them old.

My elderly grandparents are late 80s so I wouldn't say 60 is elderly. My fabulous aunt is 60 she is definately not elderly

Saying that I'm in my 30s and think I'm old. Have a bad back and get up atleast once a night to pee 😂