To be surprised that 65+ is deemed ‘elderly’

[Helfs]

Off the back of another thread I wanted to see what the actual definition or classification of ‘elderly’ was and I was very surprised to see it defined as 65+

I always thought 80+ as being elderly so this has really surprised me. Especially looking at those I know around the 65-70 mark, they’re fit, healthy, living their best life and do not scream ‘elderly’ if you looked at them.

Personally I’ve always seen it as;
0-1 baby
1-3 toddler
3-13 child
13-19 - teenager
19-25 young adult
25-40 - adult
40-55 - Middle Aged

55-80 - old
80+ - elderly

So do you think this definition is fair on those who are 65, should the definition not evolve as life expectancies rise?

Yes me too, although I usually find most people hit that stage around 80, which is why I probably associate the term with that age range.

My gran is 72 and spends her days at theme parks, having weirdly wild sex with her 3rd husband and I think will live longer than most of us since she has been vegan for god knows how long (and looks younger than my mum - although I’ll never tell her that)

No - half of that is 61...

Is some of this in relation to medications? I know some are contraindicated above a certain age so I imagine that is related to biological changes rather than social expectations.

Hmm, in the medical world frailty is a thing. See this:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/south/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/rockwood-frailty-scale_.pdf

Of course, age does not allow someone to predict what an individual person will score on this system, but there is an undeniable correlation between advancing age and higher frailty score on a population level.

Being old is just a fact like “brown hair” or “missing tooth”. It’s not an insult and doesn’t tell you much about a person really.

Yep

so as I said

the oldest person in the world wouldn’t have been middle aged at 65.

Goodness me

I know 65 year olds who are frail and definitely “elderly” - walk with a zimmer frame, multiple falls, early dementia. They are all badly controlled hypertensive diabetics - having underlying medical problems really accelerates ageing.

I know others who are 70 and still swimming, cycling etc.

No, they'd be 4 years past their "middle" age! Am I missing something???

This thread just reminded menAs a kid I remember thinking my nan would drop dead any second after her 60th birthday because she "was old" she's 82 now and I still don't see her as elderly. To me elderly is like bent over, struggling to walk maybe 90? I have no idea.

MN seems to think 50 is elderly but I'm with you 80+ is elderly. The end of middle age should tie in with state pension age

So this is a TAAT? Surprised HQ have let it run so long.

In maternity/obstetrics you are referred to as "elderly" if you are having a baby over the age of 35!

I agree with you @Helfs my dad is 69 and I wouldn't say he is elderly!!

He is quite a 'young' 69 really - still in fairly good health (thankfully), quite active - he and mum have a caravan and they go all over in it - including abroad. Its a big van and he still tows (he has a HGV licence though!).

I would usually think of 80+ as being elderly.

Although one of my Y7s made me laugh the other week! We were walking to class and they were going very fast, so I jokingly said "I'm getting old, we need to walk slowly" to which he replied "really, how old are you?" So I just said "oh very old" - his reply? " wow, you must be about 26 then" 😂😂😂 (I'm 37 so I let him carry on thinking I'm 26 😂)

21-66 is adult (retirement age being 66)
66+ is a pensioner
80+ is old

I'm 48 and don't class myself as middle aged! My DC are only 4 and 8.

have a read of any of the MN threads about saving money in the NHS or euthanasia and most people seem to think that quality life after 70 isn't worth having.

I wouldnt class a 13 month old as a toddler

I wouldn't say 40 is middle aged

I wouldnt say 55 is old

It depends on the person and their experience.

I'll be working until I'm at least 67 in order to get the basic state pension so it interesting to think I'd be classed as an elderly person by many but have to work full-time.

0-1 baby
1-3 toddler
3-4 preschooler
4-18 school age
3-17 - child
18+ adult (19-25 young adult). (13-19 teen)
40-50 - Middle Aged
60+ retirement age/old
68/ 75+ - elderly

From 50 onward health varies a lot from heart attacks etc
Smokers etc can be quite unwell from around then

ive fractured my shoulder - tripped over one of my dogs leads. It hurts. The nurse at the minor injuries clinic described me in her records as “elderly’. I’m 75 next so I suppose I’ve to accept it as accurate.
but - all the walking, gardening, enjoying life, yoga, Pilates and tai chi seem to be helping the healing

Good grief, I'm nearly 73 and honestly still feel about 30 in my mind.I think a lot of people do so.
My Mum was 91 when she died but always said the same.
I don't feel elderly at all, but I'm fit and active so perhaps just lucky.

I keep getting adverts for things for seniors. I'm not yet 60.

I do t think you can generalise when it comes to elderly. In my mind it's more to do with health and mobility than a number. My 73 year old DM ran 4 miles this morning and hasn't been near a GP in years. FIL on the other hand is 70 and housebound.

Yes, it is, isn't it?

I'm in my late sixties and I am 'old'. Once you're into your fifties, health issues develop or become more apparent and more urgent. Five of the women from my school year are dead.

Obviously people age at different rates for loads of different reasons; some bounce into their late eighties, most shuffle there, many don't make it that far. 65 seems like a reasonable marker for the beginning of the period when frailty should be expected.

OLD IS NOT AN INSULT!!

It means we're experienced - and haven't died 😁

In my family I would say for for both my Mum and Dad around 80 was when they both started to be a bit elderly (but not decrepit) coincidentally when they decided not to drive anymore.

My Dad died at 81 of lung cancer and apart from not driving long distances (for fear he would nod off - he'd still drive locally) he wasn't any noticeably different to how he was at 60 or 50. Still full of life, up and ready for the day, he still worked in a part time job as a handyman long into his 70s. The cancer got him and he was still too young for that.

My Mum decided to give up her car at 80 because it was more or less written off in its MOT and she didn't want the expense of replacing it. So, instead, she got the bus into town 3 or 4 times a week and met up with friends for lunch or coffee. She didn't get a walking stick until she was 85 or 86, slowly progressing up to a walking frame at 90. She wasn't on any full time medication at all until into her very late 80s.

I agree with your list up to middle aged. I would change the others to

45 -65 middle aged
65 - 80 old
80+ elderly

Although I do think that is very generalised and it’s more dependent on the person and their health.