Asking what age do you consider to be old?

[Teadrinker11]

I was thinking about this and I don't consider 60s that old at all. Even 70s nowadays aren't that old imo. I think a lot of it is down to lifestyle but in general speaking, what age would you consider to be old?

@Riapia

You are old when you don’t fall down, you have a fall.

Yes absolutely this

My mother was old at 45.
I am nearly 60 and not old- I am very fit and full of energy.

It depends very much on a person's health and quality of life.

60s isn't old, I agree OP.

Think of the famous people who are turning 60 this year - Eddie Izzard, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jodie Foster, Jim Carrey, Sheryl Crow, Keir Starmer, Micky Flanaghan, Nick Knowles. An eclectic bunch I know!

But really could you describe any of them as old?

Definitely 978, the 800's are ok, but really the 9's are a bitch.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

'Old' isn't just age. Its health too. You can be fit and active in your 70s or have heart attacks, strokes, cataracts, osteoporosis etc in your sixties or even 50s.

I agree with this. My Nana is 76 and has lots of health problems. She has been an old lady for as long as I have known her. My Grandad tries to remain very active and is 78 now and I would only really have started to describe him as ‘old’ in the last few years, having been slowed down with a cancer diagnosis.

My DP’s Dad is 76 and you absolutely would not know. He works as a PT in a gym! I wouldn’t ever describe him as old.

This may be a bit insensitive but when you read/hear of deaths in the news (and it's not for example a famous person whose loss you'll feel) I always think 70+ isn't not a good age.

So old - 70+

50

My grandad is nearly 89. I asked my 3yo old niece how old she thought he was and she replied “super old”.

My auntie is mid 70s now but has acted mid 70s since she was about 50 so in many ways seem younger now than she ever did.

Stage, not age, as with most things.

My mum is 83 this year. She thinks she has until 85 before she is old . She is fit and healthy and trying to fit in as much as possible before it all catches up.

Its health not age.

I know an awful lot of people in their late 30s/40s with cancer and heart issues. I used to think it was young but quickly realised it means absolutely nothing. I think people are dying younger these days.

My ex-MIL was old at 48, when she became a grandparent. It's like she gave up on having her own life outside of the home and her children/grandchildren at that point. So she sat in her chair and that's where she stayed for the rest of her life basically.

I'm 46 and just can't imagine doing that! My DP is 61 and I don't think of him as old (although I do tease him about it sometimes) We love going out on adventures, hikes and bike rides, keeping active. Hopefully it will keep us young for a while yet!

70s for me however i have a good friend that is 72 and i never see her as an old because she's so youthful and spry.

Like a previous poster 'old' has always been pretty stable at my age plus 20 years. When there are very few people left who are my age plus 20 years then I will be old.

I felt very old the other day when we had a new starter at work - who was born in 2003! Jarred me for a moment. I was at uni then, but it seems like yesterday.

I don’t know any more!! I used to think 70 plus but now 80 plus. I don’t even know if it does depend on how well we look after ourselves etc.. I don’t/can’t do much “for me” because of the caring role I have for my DD (plus no money because I can’t work). I don’t get haircuts any more, don’t do exercise other than walk the dog or gardening, smoke, drink etc. I was asked for ID as an under 18 the other day… in my head I’m 27 still ( I’m actually 47). I feel like I’ll just wake up one day and I’ll be really old. That could happen at any age!

It depends on the person. My parents made no concessions to age whatsoever until they were both about 85.

My mil is 86 and people are always shocked that she's not 15 years younger.

There's chronological age and biological age. It varies from person to person. I had a bad accident last year. Smashed wrist and collapsed vertebrae due principally to a very heavy fall and osteoporosis. I'm 61. I didn't take a day off work and plan on working full-time for many years.

My mother is 85 and has only just given up high heels and leather trousers. MIL is the same age but diagnosed with parkinsons a year ago. We would not dare tell her she is old.

However as a little girl when grannie was 50s and the Queen was 40s I thought they both were old with their shampoo and set hair and clutched handbag. Grannie still wore stays and seemed old bit paradoxically continued mucking out and drinking gin until early alzheimers grabbed her at 75. Despite that biologically she remained as fit as a fiddle and in the next 10 years was ravaged by alzheimers whilst her body never gave out. It was more tragic than had cancer seen her off at 76. At least then we'd have only known the woman she was.

@SoloSunrise

20 years older than me! Always

This!

I agree that it's totally relevant to your own age and health - I am early 60s but like Hunting I have a DM who is very fit and heathy at 90, she leads a very independent, fulfilled life with plenty of hobbies, activities and friends.

Yet I can meet people younger than me who lead very restricted lives, consider themselves 'old' but they are not even 60 .

75

Dh is almost 75 and is about to start decorating our bedroom. He didn’t retire (from a manual job) until he was 70. He does all the heavy work, gardening around the house and he’s definitely not old yet. …… but, our youngest son has just tested +ve for Covid and I’m very aware that it would only take something like a bad case of it to turn him old very quickly where as someone younger would be more likely to bounce back.

You can stave it off with a good hairdresser, no elasticated waists or velcro shoes or short sleeved knitted tops. I know women 5/6 years younger than me who may be fitter but who have an older outlook.

65 - pension & retirement is old to me. Maybe I'll feel differently once I'm approaching that age.