When Are You ‘Elderly’?

When they say people are 75 I think old till I realise I shall be 75 in a few months time! I don't think old but I am not as string as I was and can't walk so far. BUT I am generally fit and healthy and enjoying life ( well normally outside of the pandemic!)

Blinko- that's my reasoning too ?.

My nan did the shopping for the 'elderly couple in the house opposite' whenever she went in to town. She lugged the bags up the steep hill to them the day before she died (peacefully in her sleep). She often talked of her 'elderly friends opposite'. At her funeral the 'elderly friends opposite' came out to see her funeral leave the house. They were early 60's. Nan was 81! It made us all smile that day .

I agree

My problem is that I can't accept being turned 80 !

that`s me also EllanVan... see I forgot your pen name already
but people a lot younger physically!!! than me, suffer that problem also

I feel quite insulted to be labelled elderly, 77ys but mentally think I’m still young! I don’t feel any different, I’m a nurse and when working the elderly care units were least popular wards, but in actual fact most wards had large proportion of older patients, apart from specialist wards for dementia there should need to have elderly care wards,

As of Sunday apparently when I had my 67th birthday. The day after I read a report headline of ‘an elderly woman’ being robbed. When I read further I found she was 67!

Well I absolutely was not - until March 2020 when all over 70's were officially labelled as elderly and vulnerable. It hurt.

I will never be elderly it is a term that I simply will not accept. If older people can skydive, paraglide, scuba-dive, drive, swim or dig the garden, which most young people would cringe at the thought of as they tap on their phones and tablets. I am an older person and happy to be so. ‘Elderly’ has so many connotations of frailty, disability, infirmity and the end of usefulness . I cringe whenever I hear the word as it is so negative and disabling rather than enabling, I am thoroughly enjoying my older age, I hope that you are too. That word should be confined to the bin!

Same here Blinko.

My dad was in hospital with a kidney infection. He was put in the geriatric ward. The next day he said to me ' I've asked the Dr to get me out of this ward and move me, they've stuck me with all these old people by mistake and they are doing my head in!' My dad was 94 and the oldest one in there by miles ?

It comes and goes - yesterday I felt ancient - today I have just been out to build a snowman.

We're never elderly if we don't feel we are. My mum at 88 didn't want to go to a daycare centre "as it was full of old people". She did eventually go and ended up playing their piano for a sing song

I am the same Blinko. When I first went to work people in their 30's seemed elderly!

I’m distinctly elderly first thing in the morning. As the day wears on the years magically drop off and by the evening I’m just a skittish young thing.

My mother who was in her early nineties, said "they don't seem to have anything for middle aged ladies in M&S anymore"

Many years ago my Mums friend was widowed in her late 50s.She lived in quite a remote area and her family insisted she wear an alert button round her neck. One day when she was hanging out her washing she heard a police siren and the police officers came into her garden. They said that an old women lived at this address. Where was she as she had pressed her panic button? Ethel had pressed the button accidentally while carrying the washing basket, was not amused and never used the alert again and my mum for that reason 20 years later refused too. I am 71 and really would be reluctant .

The Lord only knows. My son thinks I should just keep imagining that I’m 39, rather like Patsy in Ab Fab.

Gwyneth, I received something the other day that used the term 'Older Adult' and decided that's how I'm going to title myself henceforth.

NHS is up to 69 until you broach 70 then you become ELDERLY, so from then on you will probably find you might transfer to an elderly ward or in psychiatry to a psycho geriatrician, unless you have had a mental illness that existed pre your referral. Perhaps Social Workers might like to list where their Council puts the line?

It depends on the individual. Saw Michael Morpurgo being interviewed by Jon Snow on Channel 4 News last night. Was gobsmacked when he said he was born in 43, seen 50 year olds looking older than him.

Primagravid with first baby at 28 years old. Interesting that when one of my daughters had her first baby at that age she was the oldest in the NHS Hospitals own ante-natal classes, and the youngest at the NCT ones!!!

I loved turning 50 years old - was similar to when I had my 16th birthday - both times could hop between different groups (being a child/being an adult) and (being 'getting on' / being middle years).

60 was exciting as I acquired my Freedom Pass in london. Used to be interesting at the hospital I worked for the next decade, as people asking me assistance in the corridors would tell me they were finding it difficult to get around now they were older and often turned out to be younger than me!!

At 70, I permitted my children to use the term 'ageing'. I was retired then, but still very much involved in much voluntary work. Must admit age began to catch up with my body during that decade.

In a few months time, I hope to celebrate my 80th birthday and will then permit people to call me elderly (physically, but not mentally). If I make it through the next decade, then perhaps I will allow the term 'old'!!!

At 80 I’m still waiting to become elderly. I don’t mind being “older” but I neither feel nor look elderly. However if it benefits me in any way,that is OK.

HOrg I agree with you. (Today 3rd Feb 10.31)

‘Elderly’ retreats as I reach each age I thought it applied to.

Why is there the assumption that we more mature ladies are more affected by bad news?

I took issue with my local radio station the other day when it was said ‘some people still use old-fashioned cheques....’ I pointed out that embracing tradition is not being old-fashioned.