At what age is a person officially considered old?
Study reveals old age begins later than it used to
April 24, 2024
A recent survey has revealed that the age at which a person is considered old has increased over time, ABC7 reported.
In the survey, researchers found that people in their mid-60s now define old age as starting around 75.
They believe that the age has increased as previously, around a decade ago, people of that age defined old age as starting around 71.
According to the study, published in the the American Psychological Association's (APA) journal Psychology and Aging, this change reflects, in part, the increase in life expectancy, later retirement ages, and overall better functioning in our golden ages.
The age at which people consider themselves old varies depending on their gender, health, and general happiness.
Women believe old age starts about two years later than what most men believe. Meanwhile, those who are lonely or have poor health tend to consider themselves old at a lower age than those who are happy and in good health.
The study stated that these findings are based on data from a German study on aging that involved over 14,000 participants who responded to questions eight times over a period of 25 years.
