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Words for those of us who are getting on a bit

(65 Posts)
Wheniwasyourage Fri 01-Sep-17 16:33:41

What about just over-60s, over-70s, or whatever is appropriate? I do not like seeing newspaper reports which inevitably call someone a pensioner if s/he is over 60, even though people don't get a pension at 60 any more.

Gagagran Fri 01-Sep-17 14:54:17

How about "venerable" ?

Dictionary definition is:

"accorded a great deal of respect,especially because of age, wisdom or character"

The venerable Gaga - hmm. Think I do like that! grin

RosemarySuperager Fri 01-Sep-17 14:49:36

I love RANDY too - I haven't seen that one before although I'd seen it written out.

Like kittylester I don't like 'seniors' much.

So glad that you get your foot up that high Eglantine!! You'll live to a ripe old age being that fit.

Don't you think we need to create some new words? After all it was our generation that created "teenagers".

One set of terms I saw was the "Go go" years, the "slow go" and the ""No go". It is quite descriptive. What do you all think?

FarNorth Fri 01-Sep-17 14:37:24

grin randy wins for me!

Greyduster Fri 01-Sep-17 14:36:32

Eglantine grin! My son is fond of referring to myself and his father as "these persons in their dotage". He is frequently a "person with his mother's foot up his backside" as, yes, I can still get my foot up that high, dotage or no dotage!!

Eglantine19 Fri 01-Sep-17 14:08:53

Personally I see myself as belonging to the RANDY club (retired and not dead yet) grin

CherryHatrick Fri 01-Sep-17 14:01:29

Here in Spain I am referred to as "una señora mayor", literally "a better woman", as opposed to "una señora vieja", the literal translation of "an old woman".

annodomini Fri 01-Sep-17 13:58:44

Excuse typos. One-handed typing is not my 'thing'.

annodomini Fri 01-Sep-17 13:57:20

I was horrified to hear myself described as 'an elderly woman' by the kind person who called the ambulance for m the other day, but when i thought about it, I had to admit that it was accurate in the context!

lemongrove Fri 01-Sep-17 13:46:40

Sometimes we do need a label though, as without it we wouldn't get the freebies we like, senior concessions!?

kittylester Fri 01-Sep-17 13:32:57

I hate seniors - how about people?

lemongrove Fri 01-Sep-17 13:16:50

I think that Seniors is the best of the bunch, don't like pensioners, silver surfers ?Elderly, old ( !) and you can't always use Retired, as my DH isn't, although long past retirement age.As for Old Timers, that conjures up a gnarled old man in a Western film.?

grannysue05 Fri 01-Sep-17 13:08:43

I think 'seniors' sounds respectful and appropriate. This covers active people and disabled.
My DH calls all our group (all mid seventies) the Golden Oldies!

Anya Fri 01-Sep-17 13:02:05

I really don't bother what people call us. I know who I am so ....

RosemarySuperager Fri 01-Sep-17 12:56:18

I saw something about "new old agers" as a reference to the newly retired and realised that although there are lots of ways of referring to us older people, not all of them are liked or even appropriate. Also most words don't distinguish between people at different stages of being old, e.g. retired but very active versus bedridden.

How do you refer to people of your own age and how would you LIKE to be referred to? Eg seniors, retirees, old timers, the elderly, the non-employed? I'd love to hear what you all think.