Shorthand for 60 something

I think that 'elderly' is generally 10yrs older than your present age.

My forty year old son recently described someone in their sixties as elderly. When I asked him if he would think of himself as elderly in twenty years time he said not at all and agreed I was right as usual.

When I ask for a ticket I say 'Senior'.

A gentleman called me 'young lady' today but as he came from the local home for the bewildered I didn't mind. It was quite sweet.

I think I'm agreeing with that bags.

I don't mind being called 'elderly'. Why would I?

I belong to a forum, Sixty and Me, and they call Baby Boomers (which I am) Boomers and those too old to be Baby Boomers, who are over 70, Seniors. I think Boomer is OK for us 60 somethings. Younger Baby Boomers are in their 50s but they can still be called middle-aged. The NHS classes over 75 as elderly.

Hear, hear, lizzypop, re grey pound and grey vote. Both should get more powerful over the next decade or so too.

Our local hospital thinks that anyone over 60 is eligible for the geriatric ward.

thatbags it's easy to give or take offence through the medium of email because there's no tone of voice or facial expression to soften what can come across as harsh, cold text. I try not to judge people although I suspect we all do it, albeit privately, unless we are plaster saints! ? You're right that I do believe we are lumped together into an invisible group of retired people if we're over a certain age and it's very frustrating. Perhaps that comes across as negativity. It is a real hobbyhorse of mine so perhaps I should stable it for a good rest and be cheerful ? I do believe though, that the so called 'grey pound' and 'grey vote' could be incredibly powerful if we got together to wield it!

Thank you * gaggi*, I had a hunch it was that.

The only people I know who fit Lizzie's description that I know always did look like that.

I don't think you can be described as elderly until 85yrs +, but we are stuck with it.

I would've liked your grandad, Gaggi3 ?

Thanks Spanishsue.I like 'sleenagers'! My dentist nearly said elderly to me the other day but.quickly changed it to over 60's. He might have needed a dentist if he had finished the sentence.
I also don't mind being called 'mature's as it isn't too ageist.

As for your last sentence in the same post: pish! Load of rot. Of course we aren't expected to do that. Your view of how people think of old people is very negative. I suggest that is your negativity at work, not that of others.

lizzypop, I agree entirely with this: "thatbags of course the things I say can't be applied to everyone. Some people are very unlucky as far as their health goes and I would never want to offend but, as a general rule we should do more not less if we want to stay active" and it is the 'should' that I follow myself, but I've still had to stop doing quite a few of the active things I used to do because it was too bloody painful! It's too easy to fall into the trap of blaming people because they are less active or just as active but slower than they used to be. There could be a multitude of (unknown to observers) reasons for the slowing down. Your previous posts didn"t seem to allow for that.

Thank you, gaggi! I knew it was from some book we read at school but couldn't put my finger on it.

Dislike the doddery image 'elderly' conjures up. Mature is better but don't really see why an adjective is necessary, just say how old, if appropriate.

My Grandad, many years ago, refused to go to the local Darby and Joan Club(!) with all 'those old fogies'. He was 80ish at the time.

The Aged P is in great expectations.

thatbags of course the things I say can't be applied to everyone. Some people are very unlucky as far as their health goes and I would never want to offend but, as a general rule we should do more not less if we want to stay active.

Anyone remember a few weeks ago it was fashion week and the London week opened with a whole 30 mins of fashion for over 50s. The design brief for this was given as a challenge to fashion students (probably aged 18 - 21) and the outfits showcased were absolutely horrible (IMHO of course)! The models mostly had long, grey curtain hair and the clothes were grey too, with the current, unflattering quilting your grandad might wear and sleeves down to the fingertips! The shoes were horrible, manly brogues at the end of skinny, black tights clad legs! This was the best the students could do for a hitherto invisible generation. The nicest outfit was a long dress in a vibrant print with a waist length leather jacket but was hardly innovative. It was the only thing I'd be seen in, dead or alive!

We're supposed to stay at home, wear pleated skirts and a blue anorak if we do emerge and have our hair neatly permed. Huh!

I'm 66 and still work full-time and yes, also collect my pension (might as well, if I popped my clogs the Government sure as anything wouldn't give the 'saved' amount to my husband!)

I HATE to see papers describing people in their 60s as elderly. Newspaper journos responsible for the trash written in the papers are probably 20-30 somethings so 60s to them is probably elderly!

Wish I didn't care - but I do! Probably because I am still working and love my job and never, ever refer to myself as 'old' as I don't want anybody taking a second look at me if I can't immediately recall something and have them wondering if I'm getting past it!

I love 'aged p' but only because it reminds me of Dickens - though I'm b******d if I can remember which one!

When I was still at school my best friend always referred to her parents as the Aged Ps. I guess they would have been in their forties. Now they are the Even More Aged Ps (emaps).

Minibags has always thought of me as an Aged P because I was older than most of the grandmothers of her peers.

I too like "vintage persons"

I joke about this age thing but I am not grey (thanks to hairdresser Soph!), look younger than my age, have bags of energy (mostly) and do loads of things (not karate) that make me feel good and are helpful to other people (I hope) so what the heck has the fact that I am 67 got to do with it.

I think I would be forced to give a very withering look to anyone who called me a snowbird!

I too feel that 'elderly' means someone who is 80+. I just don't like the term 'pensioner' at all. At 64 I reached my state pension age 2 years ago but still work and haven't yet started to draw it. I suppose I feel 'middle aged' is about right although it is unlikely that I'll live to be 128!