Age

I guess the business world and market research has an interest for targeting purposes. Also don't GPs get a higher rate for patients over a certain age.

I don't think I've come across any age discrimination (as yet), just the benefits of concessions, pension, and a seat on the bus.

The government has to be aware of the ages for purposes far and wide, from paying winter fuel allowance to to knowing what facilities will be needed/or not needed for the population in 10, 20 40 years.

I believe that in the wider scheme of things our age is the business of very many people.

It is only a number.

I recorded the secret lives of 6 year olds and was watching the last one earlier on and was so amused to hear the children's views on age as they boasted about how old their mums were and then their grans. One gran was apparently 'two hundred and a thousand'! They clearly thought age was something to boast about.

I haven't yet come across any age discrimination either but it is probably a lack of understanding and empathy.

I have discovered most of my neighbours are in their late eighties or nineties - I so hope it is something in the air here.

I agree its just a number no-one has ever stopped me doing something because of age and when I look at people I have no idea how old they are and it doesn't really matter to me. I hate it if people ask you to guess- I say something ludicrous like 404 - I would hate to put my foot in it.

"It is only a number."

Oh if only! I do agree with the OP though.

When I was in my early 50s we were planning to move to another part of the UK, and I was trying to get a job there. I only got one interview, there were about 8 of us, me and a man "quite old", the rest in their 20s.
After a quick chat we 2 oldies were sent home.
Fair enough, the younguns had more energy, but I think it was more to do with money. By then we were at the top of the payscale, and could well retire soon(which I did) so they would have to pay towards our pensions.
So yes, I've seen age discriminationin the workplace, but I can understand why.

I don't care who wants to know my age nor who does know it. I never have cared. This is not because I think it's only a number. I don't think it's only a number at all. What happened to experience and even wisdom? I, for one, am less physically able, but in some ways more mentally able, because of experience, than I was when I was only a number twenty or only a number forty.

Anyway, saying it's only a number is numberist. Numbers are fabulous things! What would we do without them in modern society?

I don't have an issue with being asked my age to be honest, can't get excited or cross about it .

Sometimes there is an obvious reason for being asked surely and it's not a question that I am asked without understanding why/ what reason it is being asked for , or I understand the 'possible' reason why.

It's not a case of being happy about being asked it's more a case of not feeling perturbed about being asked.

Although there are, of course, a number of reasons for honestly giving one's age on various occasions - renewal of documents, medical reasons being just a couple, I can say that I do not give a great deal of thought to age - I am who I am, at whatever age.

It does appear to be fact that there is age discrimination in the job market, as my OH has not worked more than part-time since he was made redundant at age 50, but even that is not always the case. I myself have worked as a freelancer for 20+ years and due to the fact that I work exclusively via the internet these days, most of my clients neither know nor care how old I am as long as I deliver a good job, on time.

I hope and believe that this is the future, where we will be judged on our skill and knowledge rather than by how many wrinkles and how much grey hair we have.

This was my first post. Thank you for your messages. Really interesting. Perhaps I need to accept my age. I just find the language on how older women dress if we dare to come out of beige figuratively speaking. Date younger men. Run in a race etc. that we use more of nhs resources and our wisdom is hardly ever listened too. We should be totally restrained in our behaviour. In my head I still have some vulnerabilities as when I was young and daft ideas. I can be silly as well as wise.

These days people do not look (or act) their chronological age and so it doesn't matter so much. In my mother's day woman was old at 40 and started to dress and behave in an 'old fashioned' way. Richer women and film stars remained youthful but few other women did.

Today we are so much better informed about the effects of a healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise that (some) women 'glow' in their fifties. Coupled with HRT, other youth preserving medicines, active face creams, the availability of surgical and non surgical enhancements and of advanced beauty and hair products women can virtually choose the age they wish to remain. They also have money in their own right which can be spent on themselves not their household and children.

The 'because I'm worth it' culture has also freed women to focus on their own needs.

Personally, I have not tried to look younger than my age at all costs but I do focus on looking good for my age. I don't want to be my daughter's 'sister' but I do want her to feel she has a smart mother in all senses of the word.

My three grandkiddies have always pestered to know my age but I have always batted away their questions with comments such as 'ancient'. One year my littlest granddaughter asked me something about the Nativity, when I answered her question my older granddaughter asked how I knew the answer. Before I could respond my grandson cut in with 'Nan is so old she was there at the Nativity' - not much you can say to that The game was up on my last birthday though, my daughter bought me a glass and cup emblazoned with 'It took me 60 years to look this good' Now darling grandson drops my age into almost every conversation we have!

teacher11, "Coupled with HRT, other youth preserving medicines, active face creams, the availability of surgical and non surgical enhancements and of advanced beauty and hair products women can virtually choose the age they wish to remain."

I don't agree. Hype about "active face creams" is just that, hype.

"youth preserving medicines"? Like what, for instance?

Plus, all that suggests that looks matter far more than they do, imo.

People I know who ’behave old' have done so since they were young. I think it's the way they are and not dependent on their age.

I think that if you greet people cheerfully, with a smile, then they will probably not be interested in how old you are. It is not always possible of course, because we don't always all feel like being cheerful and smiling.

I really don't feel as if I'm nudging 68. In a conversation with DGD (15) recently I did ask if she'd tell me if ever she thought I was mutton dressing as lamb? She said she really likes how I dress and would hate me to 'dress as an old lady'. Good to know.
I was curious recently to come across a metabolic age calculator and, without taking it too seriously, was happy to find that I came out at 61. Now decided to get it below 60 in New Year. Just need to lose a little more weight and build in an extra gym session and who knows?

I couldn't care less about my age being known, I have friends though who even lie about their children's ages to appear younger.

It's quite ridiculous and the worst thing would be people might even think you are older than you are.