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What's Your Definition Of Elderly?

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I heard an anti lockdown contributor to Jeremy Vine show arguing that ‘the elderly’ and vulnerable , whose lives were of limited expectancy anyway, should be the ones locked down whilst the rest of the population should return to a pre Covid working and social life to re-boot the economy. Putting aside all my other numerous arguments I wondered at what age you become elderly as, despite it being readily bandied about, I’ve never heard anyone actually define it. 

Edited by catmiss
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Definition of elderly.......

Listening to the Jeremy Vine show.  😀

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I don't necessarily think it can be defined just by a number; other aspects come into play, such as life expectancy, general health and circumstances. Our health declines at different rates and different ages in different people, so very hard to generalise.  

 

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I think someone's idea of 'elderly' changes as they themselves age. I used to think of someone in their 60s as elderly but now I'm 70 I think differently.

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Just now, Rollypolly said:

I think someone's idea of 'elderly' changes as they themselves age. I used to think of someone in their 60s as elderly but now I'm 70 I think differently.

Spot on - if there is life in the old dog yet and our brain cogs work well then I do not class anyone as elderly.  I know a lot of people who are in ther 80/90s and who can still use technology to their advantage. Our bodies may let us down but we all have something to contribute even if it is only to our own family in support and wise words. 

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9 minutes ago, Rollypolly said:

I think someone's idea of 'elderly' changes as they themselves age. I used to think of someone in their 60s as elderly but now I'm 70 I think differently.

I was thinking along the same lines. I'm not 70 but I see plenty of very active people in their 70's and beyond. If we go back a few decades, 60 was about the average life expectancy. Now it's many years longer for a lot of people.

 

If I was to bring it down to a number, it would be a hard one to pick. I'll go out on a limb and a bit of sitting on the wall...over 75 and in poor health.

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they say as you get older you cannot do what you used to do,but you can often help run things ,often in more important ways,myself and other older folk run our festival,although older and find walking ect hard,but we can fill in the forms to obtain the money it needs and leave the others to run around,many OAP clubs are the same,so you may not have the health/fitness ,but you have the brains,its the old adage,you cannot put a old head on young shoulders,but both can work together.

Edited by nikki-red

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The World Health Organisation believes that most developed world countries characterise old age starting at 60 years and above. However, this definition isn't adaptable to a place like Africa, where the more traditional definition of an elder, or elderly person, starts between 50 to 65 years of age.

A person who has lived many years. There's chronological age and biological age.

 

Quote

Chronological age vs. biological age. Your chronological age is the number of years you've been alive. Your biological age is how old your body seems, based on a number of factors, including how your chromosomes have changed over time.

The two old farts in the Muppets.

Old mother Riley.

And if you remember this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2fqjsijaMM

 

etc,etc.

Edited by petemcewan

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I remember my very first teacher with great affection and admiration.

She ran a little PNEU school on the outskirts of Dublin, and she instilled a desire for knowledge that I suppose remains to this day.

I subsequently left the school as the family moved on to pastures new, but I never forgot her name.

A good few years ago, it occurred to me that she must be 'long gone', as she'd been really old when she was still teaching  me and others - already post-retirement, I'd have guessed. 

After a bit of investigating, I found out that she had indeed passed away...but surprisingly, not that long before.

It turned out that the "really old" and "post-retirement" lady had been in her mid-thirties when she'd been teaching me....

 

I suppose my answer at one time to the OP's question is 35!

(Other answers are available)

 

 

 

 

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I never thought of myself as old until recently.  I certainly think I have "aged" in many ways over the last year, and I'm blaming much of it on the virus.  Little social interaction, less physical exertion, arthritis etc starting to gnaw away at me and so on.  Looking older when I look in a mirror, feeling the cold more, missing a chat over a few beers, not really having the energy or willingness to do the mountain of jobs I've identified at home.  Worried that the old brain is turning to mush, but doing nothing about it.  Oh well, enough of this moaning - I'm off to find some repeats on tele to while the time away!

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Since my "old" school teacher post (#10) I've been giving this some thought.

As with Thirsty Relic, I've been worried about the days/weeks slipping away... "so little time, so much to do". In fact, so much to do, I can't decide which first, and consequently do none. (So I've been told...)

OK... Elderly to me = 70 (and above, obviously)

Middle-aged = 45. (50 if I was pushed)

 

Of course there are the other well-known age definitions, one of which is "Older than my teeth"....

😏

 

 

 

 

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