How old is elderly?

Oreo

I think my Mum is elderly (80) but not really anyone under that age, if that’s any comfort?

Sorry, not a comfort. I'm the same age as your mum. I'm definitely not elderly.
But I accept that in medical terms we are classed as elderly from the age of 60.
But my 'young' step daughter is 60!! And she's not remotely old.

According to the World Health Organisation, in broad terms, most developed world countries have accepted the chronological age of 65years as a definition of 'elderly'. It seems to coincide with the average age at which pension benefits are first received. It's a somewhat arbitrary definition, and most certainly doesn't apply worldwide, particularly in those countries where both poverty and poor health care are present. So I guess that by Western standards, I've now been elderly for 11 years, and yes, it sometimes feels to be an accurate description.. but not always. I wonder when I officially become "ancient"?..

I like to think of myself as a wise elder.. then it doesn't really matter what the actual age is. They were always respected with indigenous peoples and ought to play a bigger role in our society IMO

‘Elderly’ conjures up that road sign with two old people on sticks ......... Hope I never look like that. - that's very ageist! I have used a stick for years, long before anyone might have thought me elderly. Beware of stereotypes!!

For me elderly could be replaced with the word 'frail'. We went on a trip a couple of years ago with a very sprightly man of 95 who was using his Smart 'phone better than we were, and I would not have called him elderly. Another lady I know had a bad fall this winter in her early 80s which changed her overnight from being a very active lady to someone who has become very, very frail.

I was an ‘elderly primigravida’ at 28! Down in writing in my notes!
To be entirely fair, the other mothers on the ward were 19 -23, and the 23 year old had just had her 2nd baby.
This was in the late 70s though. Goodness knows what they’d have thought of my dd, who had hers at 38, 39, and nearly 43.

I think my Mum is elderly (80) but not really anyone under that age, if that’s any comfort?

I don't feel elderly, I'm told I don't look elderly, but I am - no disputing that the middle seventies cannot be called middle age. However - who cares?

Kandinsky

I would describe someone of 75+ as ‘elderly’

No way! Over 85 perhaps, I'd say over 90.

Ten years older than whatever age I am at the time of speaking.

This week I’m elderly, last week I wasn’t, next week I hope normal service will be resumed.

70s .Last time I had to go to A and E the nurse got me a chair at the side and told me she liked to keep all her elderly patients comfy in this area.

When I was in my early 60s on retirement I went backpacking round the world for 12 months. I never considered I was elder then, I was doing what younger people did.
I didn't learn to sail until I was in my 60s, life is what you make it.
I'm as my son keeps telling me I'm 80 next year and still traveling so no I'm not elderly yet.
Live life it can be short.

About 86 I personally would call elderly, only because at 70 I have been caring for my grandkid. Now aged 13 with autism, he's lived with us for 10 years now, I also work 2 mornings a week in a charity shop, because I'm busy I don't think of aging, I have friends in their 80s who are still very active, one lady learnt to swim at 80, I first met her at the swimming pool I go to 3 time a week, and one good friend leads mountain walks and she now 78, I do have HCM and am careful not to exert myself too much but then that didn't stop me doing all I can, I enjoy going for coffee etc and my friends are positive ladies in their 60s upwards, I don't surround myself with gossips and negative people, I think looking at my friends it's a mind thing, when I lived in the UK I had an acquaintance at church that always needed help sometimes crossing the road just little things that made me think she was a lot older than she was, I found out she was one year older than me, and that was 20 years ago, I get poorly and that leaves me weak but I never think that's because I'm old

I was an "elderly primagravida" at 31 (I refrained from punching the doctor) I see myself as doing everything slightly later than most. So I'm not elderly at 76 and have no intention of being at 86.

Just saw this on Twitter, from the Guardian and by Bernardine Evaristo:

“Just as women are taught to be ashamed of menstruation and the menopause, so we are taught to be ashamed of our maturation. How sad that 30-year-olds worry about being “past it”. We should celebrate every age and stage of our lives.”

Just had this discussion with my mum - she says 85.
For her, it’s been “three years younger than my current age” for the last 20 years.

I’m inclined to think adulthood is 20-90, so 20-45 young, 45-67 middle age/late middle age, 68 and up elderly.

Baggs

As a society we need to stop being ageist, which is what we are when anyone takes offence or objects to being thought elderly.

Exactly. Being old/elderly/what you will is nothing to be ashamed of. I’m 82 and I think that’s quite old. I am not embarrassed to use the word. Incidentally, to me ‘elderly’ sounds less old than ‘old’..

I bet you both wanted to be thought younger than you were at other points in your lives. Perhaps you still do. ?

Elderly is anyone 10 years older than me. This rule will apply regardless of how old I become. ?

Elderly is older than I am

As a society we need to stop being ageist, which is what we are when anyone takes offence or objects to being thought elderly.

Oh, and BTW, if anyone wants to think me elderly, that's quite alright and doesn't affect how I feel or behave in any way at all.

MayBeMaw

Well, I was scandalised when a fellow member of GN (no names, no pack drill, but you know who you are, Ga-g —o ) recently referred to “two elderly people around 65” ????

Actually, I get this. Some people in their mid-sixties do appear elderly. Before I explain why, I'll tell you I'm 66.

Before the pandemic set in, since which MrB has worked from home so I have had the car, I travelled to work five miles along the road usually by bus. Sometime I cycled – until Minibaggs wanted her bike in Edinburgh.

Anyway, I made some friends on the bus because it was essentially the same people every day on the second bus of the day. One lady I got to know – she used to save the seat next to her especially for me ? – was absent for a few weeks and I wondered what had happened to her. She seemed quite a bit older than me, even sounded older in that her voice was quavery as if a little worn out. Anyway, she returned to the bus in due course and it turned out she'd had a heart attack. At this point she told me her age, which was at that time only two or three years older than me. Colour me shocked.

Similary, back in my Oxford days, I taught some Bangladeshi children English in their own home. One day, as well as the children's mother, there was an older lady there who looked worn and wizened. She was the grandma over from Bangladesh and she was, at 45, only three years older than me but looked about 20 years older.

So you see, it all depends

I think medically you would probably be considered elderly after 65, because if you need medication your age would have to be taken into consideration because older people may react differently to some drugs.
However I think what was considered old some years ago, is not perceived as old now, because health and lifestyle has improved and people live longer.
As was mentioned on another thread, ageing is not a disease, it’s a fact of life.