World Health Organization Redefines Old

When I was 17, I had to do a report in school about where I'll be in the year 2000. I did the math and thought, who cares, I'll be 39 and too old to be doing much of anything.

Correction:

91 - 100: Lich

101+: Arch-lich

Given that many women in my family tree have made it well past 100, I'm looking forward to hanging out on the Prime Material plane!

LOL! I like the idea of being called young at 62!

Me too! At 64, according to this, I still have 2 years to go before hitting middle age!

A youth at 45! It's reflective of how I'm feeling most days!

My age ranges are like this:

People who are younger than I am

People who are probably around my age

People who are older than I am

I have such a hard time figuring out what age people are. In my studies (I'm pursuing a degree in Gerontology) the target population is 65+ and the preferred term is "older adult." (Apparently AARP did a poll to figure out the preferred term. Although from talking with individuals, preferred term seems to vary greatly.) I wonder if this WHO declaration will change anything in my course material.

As for working into older age, many studies show that if you have a job that you're capable of performing and enjoying, it will benefit your cognitive health as you age. Of course, having a job that you're able to continue to perform as you age is definitely a privileged position to be in. Ditto for having the health to continue to work.

We have a contractor that has been working with us since he was 72. He just wanted something to do to feel useful. He has been working with us for 20+ years. He is 92. He is at work almost every day.

He rarely call in sick, he still drives every day, and his eyesight is better than mine. Coming to work with us probably gives him purpose every morning.. his wife died app 10 years ago. We consider "firing" a few years ago, but nobody wanted to tell him not to come anymore. And he is very useful. He even can train new people.

My grandfather was in a similar boat after he retired. At 75, he needed to feel useful, so he got a part-time job delivering flowers. Never missed a day until he ended up in rehab!

I'm showing this to my 74 year old mother. She has convinced herself that her life is over. A lot of her family has lived into their 90's but she is becoming obsessed with this idea of dying soon and consequently is giving away a lot of her possessions. She is also becoming quite depressed.

Thanks for this!

my father considered himself ancient once he hit his 50th birthday. He had friends his age who did things like work on ski patrol after they retired from their regular jobs (at 60-65), but my dad thought he was an old man. He did end up living until age 81, but I can't help but think he might have soldiered on longer if he hadn't been in the mindset the last 30 years of his life that he was "old". He has (had) excellent genetics - many people in his family lived into their 90s. I do think frame of mind has at least something to do with it...