Ageing parents -- what is 'normal'?

[Ippagoggy]

I'm mostly interested in hearing from people who have parents in the 65-75 age bracket (but any anecdotal advice regarding other ages would be interesting). Out of the following, at this age bracket, how many of these can/could your parents do:

1. cook a meal confidently
2. use a smart phone confidently to send emails, use facebook, send a text message.
3. book a flight for themselves online
4. deal with a customer service issue with, e.g. british gas, phone company, etc.
5. drive a car

Thanks

Am near the latter end of this age group and would do all the above without hesitation .
DH (74) less keen/confident with smart phone and internet , probably because he tends to leave it to me !

My parents are a bit older but can do everything apart from don't love booking flights or holidays online. Prefer a travel agent.

Why?

My parent is older and can do all of those

My Mum is 78 and can do all of that

My dh is in that bracket and he can do all of the above as well as flying around busy all the time. He thinks he is 30. I am a bit under the age..not much..and can do it all no bother. A very odd time my ds helps us with complicated stuff on line but the general stuff listed is fine. Saying all that we used it at work until we retired so kept up to date. If your dps were not doing that it would be difficult. And we would be totally lost if we didn't both drive.

Parents are 72 and 76 and could (and do) do all these things. It's a 5 hour drive to us, neither of them consider that taxing between them but might not do it alone.

Dad (72) is always reluctant to do anything on a smart phone but that's just him being a pain rather than actual lack of confidence.

PIL are 72 and 79. Can also (and do) do all of those although FIL (79) struggles with a small smartphone screen. He emails from tablet though.

I don't think of any of them as elderly.

I am only slightly younger than the bottom end of your age group, and would expect 65 to 75 year olds to be able to do all of these things.
(Barting learning difficulties, dementia & other conditions obviously).

Mum 74

1. yes
2. use basic features, emails and text messages, not apps
3. no
4. yes
5. no - used to but Dad changed car and she lost confidence

Dad 69

1. no
2. yes
3. yes
4. no
5. yes

Worry it that between them they are ok but if one deteriorates the other would be struggling.

I'm 71 and do all those things except driving. I can drive but have lost confidence. DH drives us.
I book things as DH has a tremor and finds a keyboard hard to manage.
I suppose a lot depends on physical health. Some people at that age have multiple health issues, others are fit and running marathons. (Not us).

I'm 65 and I can do all of those! I still work full time and I am certainly not elderly!!

I have none but DH’s parents are 75 and 79 and about equal, life skills wise.

They can cook a scratch meal, still drive (although whether they should is debatable) use facebook and skype to contact family confidently but in the last couple of years cannot deal with customer service type stuff or navigate online shopping/make bookings without getting confused and it all going wrong.

Mum (79) can do all of the above, although she has had periods of not driving due to illness.

My Dad's the same age, cannot do anything with internet/smart phone. He also lost his driving licence due to a stroke about two years ago, which has been a big strain for both of them- they live in a small town and buses are infrequent. I'd always encourage elderly people to prepare for that eventuality.

71 year old father can do none of these.

I do everything, it is draining and I am so overwhelmed

Probably have another 20 years of this

To be fair dm is not keen on driving now she is 76. Prefers my dad to drive her.

ILs are that age. They are Terrible about cooking. Don't like food shopping any more. Perfectly capable online and with bills but would rather their child sorted it out. Drive to hospital but not long distances .

My parents are 68 and 75, and they're able to do all the things on the list.

As a PP pointed out, though, they don't love booking a holiday online.
They prefer a human being.

My grandparents are in their 80s and can do all of those things.

They order their shopping online, online bank, frequently log into my prime account to watch things!

My mum is only 64 and can't do any of those things but learned helplessness and alcoholism have had their toll.

My dad is 75 so the very top of the bracket but he can do none of those things. 6/7 years ago he would have done some such as cook or speak to customer services etc but now doesn't do any of them and I have POA to be able to do it all for him.

Ditto. This cohort would be able to do all these things unless ageing prematurely.

My DM is 88 and apart from booking a flight, does all of those things.

My in-laws are early 70s and can do all those things. MIL isn’t confident driving in big cities and places she doesn’t know, but to be honest I think that’s just her, rather than age. She’s fine around their local area. FIL isn’t big on the smartphone apps but he sends emails and texts, he just prefers the iPad screen and has no interest in Facebook or similar.

My parents are a bit younger and are v confident in all of those things! Well I wouldn’t trust my dad to cook much of a meal, but that would be the same whatever his age…

My parents are both at top end of that age bracket

Dad can do all 5 no problem
Mum can do 1 and 5 but possibly not the middle 3 (Dad tends to deal with online things and home maintenance) - she refuses to have a smartphone but is able to use email and the Internet

My mum is 70 and can do them all except book things online (she gets my DB to do it)
I wouldn't describe her confidently using a smart phone. She's a technophobe and proud.

One can do all of them - top end of your age range. The other can do 2-5, and but for disability affecting their dexterity would be able to do 1.

My Dad is 73 and can do all of those except use a smartphone because he doesn’t have one. If he did have one I’m 99% sure he could learn to use it, but he refuses to get one because he doesn’t want to waste his time on Snapchat and TikTok.

My FIL is late 80s and can do all of it. He isn’t the greatest cook but he’s always been like that. DP confiscated his ladder recently after finding him up on the roof with a toolbox, fixing the chimney!

MIL is early 80s and can do everything except drive, due to illness. FIL will probably have to stop driving at some point but he’s fine at the moment.