To ask what age you would say is no longer dying young

[Whyohwhy88]

Although hard still I feel from 80 onwards it’s expected

I’ve had relatives live well into their 90s and it’s still been a shock when they died - I think when they’ve been around so long you expect them to go on forever! And while I agree it’s not tragic in the sense of a younger person dying suddenly, of which I also unfortunately have experience, every bereavement has felt like a personal tragedy. I don’t think you can ever be truly prepared for losing a close family member😢 however I suppose we are all shaped by our life experiences and I’m aware I might be projecting.

It’s also interesting that average life expectancy in Ireland is slightly longer than the UK, I would have expected it to be the same but it’s 84.5 for women and 81.3 for men.

50 might not be young - but it's too young to die in my view. I'm only 6 years younger than my grandpa was when he died of cancer - he was 61. My gran outlived him by 25 years

My mum is 76 and if she died tomorrow I would personally be really shocked.

I think this is a strange thread particularly as the OP has asked the question and not returned to it

I work in assisted living we have 95 year olds still very independent

I have a grey area 80-85 admittedly. Not unexpected or too young but I wouldn’t go as far as saying expected if in good health.

79 is mean average (so all those who really did die young bring that down). Median and modal averages are higher than that.

Mean 79
Median 82,3
Modal 86.7

In the UK (2018-2020 data) for males

80 plus. My dad died at 67. Far too young 💔

I absolutely agree. It’s the difference between „too young“ and „young“.

No he doesn't. 😂 He has a stunt double. Like the vast majority of film actors. A 73 year old isn't doing all that!

My dad died at 75 whilst isn't super young, he was running 10k twice a week the month before he died. So yeah, 75 felt too bloody young to die without any warning.

My dad died at 75 whilst isn't super young, he was running 10k twice a week the month before he died. So yeah, 75 felt too bloody young to die without any warning.

70

I’m 65 this year. If I pop my clogs in 2026 it is definitely going to be too young!!

75+.

Now both my parents are over 80 it feels like every visit with them is really precious, even though they are both reasonably (though not completely) healthy.

I think over 80 - say 83 or so - is probably in the area of ‘a fair innings’.

Although I may feel differently when I’m nearly there.

I think it depends on the person's health.
My mum passed a year ago at 70 💔
But she was ill since she was 64 so although it was very sad it was expected and she seemed older than her age too.

In contrast, my dad is a young 75, if he did, it would be truly shocking as he's the backbone of our family

I'm 47 and feel if I were to die tomorrow, I wouldn't have died "young". Prematurely sure. But I'm not young so I wouldn't be dying "young".

My only sibling died as a child so maybe that's why my view seems at odds with the majority on the thread but there you go.

Happy New Year to you too!

What a lovely positive thread 🙄

Yet we're all expected to work past that age to collect a state pension...

I know right. It seems batshit to me that people are shocked by someone dying in their late 70s, or 80s. That is a good lifespan! And as you say, an average one. Many people by mid 80s even if they appear OK, often have fragile health, and fragile bones.

As I said earlier, me personally (in my late 50s) can fall over, and bounce back up quickly, and walk away with only my ego bruised.

My neighbour (aged 83) fell over (outside on the footpath,) the day after Boxing Day, and a neighbour had to call an ambulance. He broke his ankle and his hip, and is still in hospital. I find it unfathomable that some people are trying to deny this reality. That as a rule, people of a certain age (80s or older) are NOT as fit and healthy as someone 20-25 years younger. It's nature.

I think if you make it to 70, you haven't died "young", especially when you consider the life expectancy of earlier generations. And if you make it to 80, then you've had a good innings and anything else is a bonus.

It's all relative, though. One side of my family tends to be long-lived (dying somewhere between their mid-80s and mid-90s) and the other side tends to die at least 10 years sooner. My parent from the long-lived side is in poor health and likely to die at a younger age than their parents and siblings. I can't help feeling that they've been short-changed, even though they might make it to 80!

Up until the end of your 60s is a young death. Over 70, within the limits of a normal lifespan.

And?
Work isn't just for young people.

88

I think it depends on a lot of things. If they were already ill then that's more expected than if they die suddenly. And what stage of life they are at makes some people seem older too, especially men, as they can have children later than women.