My doctor called me 'An elderly Lady.'

I think that you feel elderly when your retirement doesnt turn out as you planned !The pandemic hit just as I retired; and all those clubs ect; I was going to join shut down; I dont have much money either and that can bring you down and make you feel old and that all those years longing for retirement were a waste of time, I cant afford to do stuff anyway, plus with a sick husband we are very limited to activies.

I am 68 this year and don’t think of myself as elderly! When you hear news reports and they refer to an elderly lady who was 64! What, I don’t think so! You don’t age inside your head, just the packaging getting a little old.

I’d change gp !!!

What I REALLY REALLY HATE is when young people, especially teens or twenties call us cute. Or say things like " ahh, bless!" !!! It happens when "old" people fall in love, or get married, or dance, or hold hands, or have a party. In fact when they do anything that the young think only they should do. Except, of course, have sex. That isn't seen as "cute " . That is seen as being just "blurgh!" Or "so wrong" or "downright disgusting" . Now that gets me so mad!!

It IS all relative. One day as I was driving, my six year old son asked me how long ago had the dinosaurs lived. On hearing my reply “65 million years”. he followed up with “Was that when you were a little girl?” I nearly crashed the car

At 64, I am a bit concerned about the way my dentist speaks to me - as if I'm in my dotage. But he is so absolutely gorgeous I could forgive him anything.

I would have challenged her on ‘labelling’!!

I’m so lucky with my GO, she calls me Gold not Old!

At 51 I am firmly in middle age but do not look forward to being referred to as "elderly" when I hit my 60s. The American term of Senior/Senior Citizen is much nicer. What is far worse though is the way some people talk to our older citizens - as if they were 10 year olds! The first person to do that to me when I hit old age is going to get a real mouthful

Blossoming, I love that! I think I shall use that term as it does apply to me too.

My grandmother was very cross when she went into hospital to have her gall bladder removed at the age of 92 and they put her in a ward full of old ladies!

My son in law didn't like it when the GP started a consultation with "Well now you're nearly 50" (He was 49 at the time)

At 70, I must be elderly - I have just ticked the “extreme age” box (70+) to get out of jury service

My son-in-Law says I'm the youngest 70 year old he knows.

I would rather be referred to as 'senior', as they do in America

Wow Trisher- elderly prima gravida at 30; you really were pushing it lol - I had my daughter in January, two months before my 24th birthday in March. And guess what? Yes, I was also put down as an elderly prima gravida!!

annodomini

To be called an 'elder' in many cultures is an honourable description. Why is it that when the suffix -ly is added, it seems to be derogatory?

Quite agree, elder has connotations of wisdom and respect, elderly suggests frail and rather pathetic; the sort of person young "carers" "oh bless" about if not to. I can take older, old, elder or even venerable but elderly? Ah ah, try it and I'll be tempted to brain you with my trusty stick.

I'm in training for "old trout", I need a smelly dog, tweed skirts, a hat and a penchant for stiff gins & calling others gels even if they're 10 years older??

I think what mainly makes me cringe at "elderly" is it's so coy. We're geriatric. And as for the medical articles referring to "older adults" fgs WHAT AGE does this apply to? You end up not knowing if the advice applies to you or not.

When my grandmother had her final hospital stay, she was horrified that she was put in a geriatric ward. She was only ninety at the time.

When manning phone at CAB recently we were told never to.use the term elderly as it had come to imply some sort of weakness or disability. What we were supposed to say instead I don't remember.

Helenm, me too! origins heavies at 25! deepest rural Suffolk.

I'm sticking with getting on a bit.

MerylStreep

I think there are a lot of women our age who believe they still look young and youthful.
We wear the clothes, do the hair and makeup in today’s style, walk upright etc etc.
But the truth is: we still look old. That’s unless you have friends in their 80s / 90s who tell you your still a spring chicken and how good you look.

Love this reply. I don’t understand why so many women become obsessed with ‘not looking’ their age. It’s just a number of the amount of years you have been alive!

I am proud to say I am 65, and am sure there will be folk who think I look older/younger and everything in between. Just be grateful you are still alive and kicking and let’s leave youth to the younger generations. Although, if you want to jump out of a plane when you are 80, go for it lol!

If folk only value you for the way you look/act, they are not worth having as friends. And as for doctors, they only see us as patients, not as old, young, trendy, old fashioned and so on. If we can make them laugh and they can make us better, that’s all that matters!

Oops. I'll be 68 in June, and I just ordered a pink flowery pair of dungarees for myself .... am I going to be a laughing stock I wonder or will I manage to carry it off? (It's my style, they can bury me in it, but I'm never gonna give in to "elderly" lol)

A few years ago I was having a discussion / moan with a newish colleague about our mothers. All our complaints, moans, worries about our respective mums were the same. I then asked her how old her mother was. It turned out that her mum was only two years older than I was! I suddenly felt elderly!!

I am 65 in August and clinically elderly but would prefer the term "older lady" or more tactfully "mature" lol

The late great comedian Dave Allen mentioned this in a 'celebration' of his humour last night. He said that like many of us he believed himself to be around 35 in his head. Then he caught sight of 'some old git in a shop window and wondered who the £$%& is that?'
In theory when you are in receipt of an old age pension I suppose you can consider yourself to be old. That must mean that I'm old too. Should it matter as long as you have an open mind and hopefully have gained some wisdom?

Venus,

I have a couple of Pals who are Sikh, (which translated, means seeker of truth) and have always used the aphorism

'Old is Gold'

A precious metal indeed ! ! !

Much Love
Dooncaha