What's Your Definition Of Elderly?

[max 13]

Being retired and the wrong side of 60 I sometimes have mixed emotions reading stories where someone's age is mentioned. I'm either cross because they've used age as shorthand for weak and defenceless,  as in a news story where someone who has been robbed or burgled was 63, implying they were too old to defend themselves. Or I read of someone who has died aged 76 and I think, well that was a good age to go before I realise that I'm within 10 years of that.

 

I certainly don't feel "elderly" when I'm at epee competitions and beat people 40 - 50 years younger than myself.

 

 

[pattricia 575]

ITS ALL IN THE MIND ! 

[Kidorry 189]

5 minutes ago, pattricia said:

ITS ALL IN THE MIND ! 

I agree with you there. Some people are old in their 50s but some people like me in their 80s are still active and as daft as a brush. 

[RollingJ 2,040]

I agree with @pattricia, too. I'm 66, and apart from a niggling shoulder problem, I'm probably fitter and more active than I was 20 years ago.

A friend of mine is 72, and although he's a bit of a hypochondriac, he still runs 3 or 4 miles a day, and up until the current situation stopped them happening, took part in a number of competitions, often beating people 20/30 years his junior.

[Padders 2,866]

Iv'e not aged at all.

When I was 20 years of age I looked 70yrs old.

50 years later and I still look 70.

[Rollypolly 51]

2 hours ago, RiffRaff said:

 

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

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

 

😏

 

 

 

 

Oi RiffRaff ! Less of the 70!

I still consider myself a fit young chick.

[RiffRaff 10]

3 minutes ago, Rollypolly said:

Oi RiffRaff ! Less of the 70!

I still consider myself a fit young chick.

I'm there ahead of you, never fear!

I've even surrendered my driving licence because of attaining the biblical three score and ten!

[RiffRaff 10]

3 hours ago, RiffRaff said:

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"....

😏

 

The other half of the definition's just come to me -

"...but younger than the hair".

🙂

 

[Becky B 31]

I get annoyed when people assume that just because someone's age is a certain number, the can almost be "written off".

 

I think medical model elderly is 65 and over, but that's only one definition.

There's a wealth of information out there showing people can have a longer and longer 'healthspan', if they work at it.  Exercise is so important for this!

But getting off my hobby horse 😄 you need to look at the individual, not the number of their age.

 

I met a lady today, didn't really look at her date of birth until afterwards, when I noticed she was only 3 years older than my dad.  There's a world of difference between them.  I'd thought she was at least 20 years older than she actually is!

 

Check this out if you think the "elderly" don't have anything left to contribute!  Apparently he's 94, she's 91...

 

[echo beach 587]

Agree with most of what's been said. A lot of it is to do with retaining cognitive function, keeping active  and possessing  a positive outlook on life but as the  years pass it's the fortunate person who retains all three.

Padders,  I know your quip is 'tongue in cheek' but I have  taught kids who do have old looking faces  and when they've bumped into me years later they do look very similar to what they did but usually have a family in tow and a better car than me! Fortunately I'm still recognisable to them 40 +years after our last encounter.

I'm in my mid 70s but still don't feel old despite the inevitable odd ache and pain.

Groucho Marx put it succinctly when he said ' you're only as old as the woman you feel 'and luckily my wife still feels fine after 50 years!

 

echo.

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by echo beach

[catmiss 12]

21 hours ago, Allen said:

Definition of elderly.......

Listening to the Jeremy Vine show.  😀

Well that’s what happens after 10 months of shielding! It can be more thought provoking than Woman’s Hour, Cash in the Attic or Homes under the Hammer 🙂 I think this discussion has confirmed that the term ‘elderly’ is arbitrary and, thankfully, many of us don’t conform to the stereotype. I remember, as a trainee nurse aged 20, working on a geriatric ward with the admission criteria being over 60 , pension age at the time, and not questioning it. 

[Longcol 602]

Got the letter to apply for my Old Age Pension the other day.

 

I'll be chopping best part of six hundredweight of wood tomorrow.

 

Then I'll take it easy for a while.