To ask if you view 29 as young

[User7777000]

Young as in young in life.

Going from my own personal experience (I think it depends what age you are yourself on how you view it).
I'm 48, and this is the first year I have really started to feel horrendous about my age. No idea why, as it's not even considered a "milestone".

At 20 - I had a meltdown about not being a teenager anymore.
At 30 - I had a meltdown because I'd left my 20's behind.
At 40 - it didn't affect me as extremely as I thought it would.
I think 50 will definitely affect me, which probably explains why my meltdown has already begun at 48.

I would say 18 - 30 is very young.
30-47 is still young in my eyes (probably because I see anyone younger than me as "young", but myself as middle aged at 48).
48 - 60 I would consider middle aged.
After that it's hard to judge. I tend to just say "a lady in her 60's" etc.
I don't really say "elderly" until someone is over 80.

I do know I have really started to think about it in a lot more depth this year.

Here goes. For me:

18-30 equals young (probably because I was young, free and single in my 20s, married at 33)
30-65 equals middle aged
65+ equals old
80+ equals very old

Although I’m rethinking the idea that 80 is necessarily very old as my DM is 84 and spends 3 months every year in West Africa working for her own Christian charity. OTOH, my MIL is 83 and does seem very old (although still in good health thankfully).

It does depend on the person somewhat as to when they become ‘very old’, as some people appear that way in their 70s due to a decline in their health.

I might also rethink these categories when I get to 65 (I’m 54 right now)! 🤣

If you take the cohort of people born in 1943 in the UK, their average (mean) age of death is around 80 (slightly higher for women than men). The people you know are more likely to be the living ones, the above average ones. You're less likely to know the ones that are already dead, especially those that died before you were born. So your personal impression will be that people are likely to live well beyond 80.

It was when I turned 70 that I felt I couldn't legitimately describe myself as middle aged any longer.

80+ doesn't mean dead though. If they die before reaching 80+ then they are not that age, my grandfathers are forever 47 and 62. It's those alive that count.

I think young is up to 45 then between then and 60 is middle age then you’re just getting older and 75 is old

This.

29 is very young.

It's a great age.

On second thoughts, I should add another category, as 30-40 doesn’t sound middle-aged really, not when you consider how long the majority of people live these days.

Under 40 should therefore equal young, with 40-65 equalling middle age.

Yes to me it is young because I'm nearly 70!

Context is everything so this is fairly impossible to answer. It’s young to be a grandparent but old to still be living at home. Generally though, I’d not describe 29 as young as you’re closer to middle-age than childhood.

Obviously those alive count. But we're dividing the lifespan into ages, and since the basic division is into "young", "middle aged" and "old', it doesn't make sense to take "middle aged" up to the expected (in the statistical sense) age of death for that cohort. Although I can sort of see an argument for equating "old" with "over the average age of death for that cohort", but in that case, the term "middle aged" needs changing, because about half the population wouldn't get beyond "middle aged",and might feel justifiably aggrieved.

I wouldn't personally take middle aged up to 80, I would say 45 to 65 is middle aged with 65 to 80 being older adults, retirees but not elderly. Retirees is problematic now with people working until late 60s and beyond though. I would put elderly at about average life expectancy although many will never reach that age, few will make centenarian but the category is there.

Is this the person who used to jeep asking questions about being 28?

yes

Relatively maybe, but generally no

🤣@Itneverrainsitpissesitdown
I’m 49 and feel the opposite about getting older, I’m quite content with it, tbh.

Although I may suddenly have a meltdown next year. 🤣

Well no, she won't be, as I won't get any of that until I am 67, so presumably Bailey is in the same position.

Why is 30-35 in no category @Gwenhwyfar ?

I am also baffled at the posters calling 60-65 middle aged. Don't make me laugh. 😆 How many 120-130 year olds do you know?! It's senior age at best. 60-65 is not middle aged on any planet. It's several years off retirement for many!

And I say that as someone who is knocking the door of 60! And I don't class myself as middle aged! I class myself as a 'senior.'

Middle aged at 60-65?!!! 😂 Dream on!

(I am sure someone will come up with some anecdata or link to some dubious website they have found that says middle aged is 45 to 65. 60-65 is still NOT middle age. 50-52 is the end of middle age IMO.

@FreshWinterMorning Nah, I’m stretching it to 55 minimum because I’m 49 and I want a few more years of middle age. 😂

Young to me changes yearly. Whatever age I am is young. Currently early 40s, still ‘young’ without a doubt.

When I was 29 I was a senior registrar (trainee doctor) with a mortgage, and by 31 I was a consultant specialist.

In life terms I was young, but professionally and personally I was at the top of my game.

Maybe I peaked too soon. I’m 45 and I’m bloody knackered 😂

"Well no, she won't be, as I won't get any of that until I am 67, so presumably Baileyis in the same position."

Bus pass is at 60 in many places. "OAP" discounts are often from 60.

"Why is 30-35 in no category @Gwenhwyfar?"

Did I say that. They count as young for some purposes eg some youth groups go on till 35.
I think I said 35 to 40 is in no category. This is because that age is not young, but not middle aged either.

What do they call OAP now? My colleague just retired at 70 and I work with several others in their 60s, they aren't pensioners at that age anymore!

"My colleague just retired at 70 and I work with several others in their 60s, they aren't pensioners at that age anymore!"

They still get the discounts though!