Words for those of us who are getting on a bit

I hate being referred to as an OAP. If I am joking I state that I am ancient and decrepit.

Golden oldies is quite nice. Doesn't bother me. I spoke to someone recently and she said her family say shei s on one long holiday, it made me a bit cross because she like me has worked for over 40 years. We have earned our retirement.

One daughter, calls us 'young old'! How about: YO, MO and VO! Leave you to work it out!! Have a good day,young at hearts!

I belong to a Facebook Group called "Old Farts and Fogies".

Painted on the front of my house is 'Old Bird's House' so I guess old bird works for me.

I don't mind what is said about my age most of the time, I usually respond " I would rather by over the hill, than under it ".

BlueBelle - agree with you about the elderly.

Nelliemoser - I like wrinklies too! It's sort of affectionate.

Margaret X and grannyticktock - that's precisely my point - you've both hit the nail on the head.

We don't have a good word for the "new old agers" the ones who are still very active and don't behave as old and don't have stereotypical problems of older age.

I like the categories Go Go, Go Slow and No Go but would like to think up some better, more polite ways of categorising older people in that way. Its advantage is that it doesn't categorise people by actual age - so the champion cyclist of 90 would still be Go Go and the 62 year old with early on set dementia would be No Go. But those terms aren't that great to use.

My Dad used to say he was a recycled teenager.

The trouble is we're talking about a huge age range, roughly 60-90, which can span two generations. If a couple in their early 60s are caring for a mother in her late 80s, it's not very helpful to lump them all together as "over 60s". I agree, Margaret, over-80s are old; their offspring are no longer middle-aged, but not "old" either.

I suppose in Italy I would be La Vecchia (The Old Lady)

I get the feeling it is the 60s and 65s who don't like most of the descriptions used by young people to describe the older generation.

At 80 it has been decided. You are old there is no other way of looking at it. I'm flying soon with Lufthansa and taking advantage of their mobilty help for seniors those who can no longer walk as far as they could in their better days,.
I'll settle for old- or in Germany - Alte Dame which is polite better than Alte Oma which is not.

I would not oblect to being referred to as an "older woman". Or, if in a group, we are "older women."

Older means some people are younger it does not define how old you are.

I do reserve the right to call myself a "Daft old bat" when I feel like it. Or a wrinkly but don't anyone else dare say that to or of me.

My sisters adult children call their mum and dad "the olds".

I hate seniors sounds like a school group don't like pensioners or elderly
I have referred to myself an an old gal but prefer the randy one or even a new different one
Get really pipped off when I read about 'an elderly lady' who s about fifteen years younger than I am

Fiorentina - veteran mother is a good one. My daughter having a baby in her 30s was designated as a geriatric mother!!!!!!

Riverwalk - I was writing something and had to search hard for a word that would fit the group of older people that I was referring to. So I started noticing what terms people use and how they use them.

"The elderly" for example, seems to be associated with people who are stereotypically older - i.e. with a bit of memory loss and maybe have difficulty managing to get money out of an ATM or paying bills the new fangled way. So seen as a bit doddery and not so good on their feet. (So aggie, you used EXACTLY the right term on the phone! Good on you!)

Whereas "retirees" are seen as more active and get up and go off travelling.

Retirees are quite different from pensioners/OAP whose defining characteristics are that they don't have much money.

"Seniors" is for me rather American.

"Over 60s" can work in some contexts, I agree but for say somebody very frail and say "over 90", it might not be appropriate.

I came to the conclusion that we needed a few more ways of referring to people at different stages of their older life - a bit like children are babies, then toddlers, then schoolchildren, then teenagers, then young adults. We need to distinguish the stages of old age that we go through rather than referring to old people as an amorphous lump of humanity - older people or the elderly.

I just wanted to know if other people felt the way that I did and whether anyone had any good ideas about how we could refer to our various stages of older life.

And when you want ideas, Gransnet is the place to go!!

It's certainly made for entertaining reading! Thanks everyone.

Senior sounds ok to me...... Senora sounds nice.

What about being a golden oldie. I'm happy with that but not quite yet, I've got another 5 years to retirement, I'm another one thanking Mr Cameron.

I think Over-60s is about right.

Rosemary what do you think - and why would you love to know our thoughts?

If it all carries on the way it is some of us might never be "pensioners".

Once, whilst in the Far East for work, I was referred to as a veteran mother. I rather like that.

OOps should be "found " After I

I myself saying "elderly" on the phone the other day , when explaining that I had no intention of going to postoffice to return a parcel which had been shoved in my door by mistake . Actually now that I think of it , why did I have to find an excuse any way hmm

Old farts no not really!

I am not a pensioner - won't be for another 4 years - thanks Mr Cameron!