Age

pelirocco

daisiegg wrote: »

Does anyone ever feel elderly?

My grandparents are in their late 70s. They sometimes go to a sort of day centre thing for elderly people, but they always talk about it and say 'it's not really for us...it is for old people, really'. They sometimes refer to the clientele as 'old dears' - nevermind that some of the 'old' people they are discussing are younger than them!

my mum is nearly 83 she's stopped going to one of her clubs because she says the others are too old.....

she worked until 3 years ago lives alone has a very good social life and despite having some major upsets in her life, just gets on with it and lives life to the full , she's my hero

seven-day-weekend

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

My parents have been grumbling they are too old to do things for years now. My mother is 70 and my father 68. It winds me up. They're in good health apart from elevated cholesterol caused by sitting in front of the tv and eating crap all day. They sit there bemoaning their age as there are things they've always wanted to do but can't now.

We're not talking anything really major either. They want to go to Italy for a holiday but the last time they went away was two years ago to bournemouth and they cut it short and came back after three days because my father didn't like strange toilets in the Premier Inn and it was affecting his bowel habits. My suggestion of eating all-bran and prunes was met with horror - change their breakfast routine a little? Nooooo. Rather screw up a holiday and come home early to use the toilet. You'd think they went somewhere that made them use holes in the ground or something.

It's like they're desperate to be old people. They both refer to themselves as old.

They once asked me if it would be ok if they gave up the car and i drive them everywhere as they didn't want to be bothered any more at their time of life. Besides the fact i was working long hours at the time and didn't get much time off, i don't have a licence and there is nothing wrong with them to justify stopping driving and imposing themselves on others like that. I offered to help them with their shopping as hubby and I pass their place most weeks, but was grumpily rebuffed. They wanted 'the full package' not help here and there.

I don't think that attitude has anything to do with age.

Emmylou_2

My great-great Aunt was still doing the shopping for "the old people" in the street at the age of 97. Many of them were 25 years younger than her. She only became "old" in the last few months of her life.

My Gran became "elderly" when she was 85 and had to have major bowel surgery. At 81 she had a better social life than the (then) 18 year old me.

My Uncle has suddenly become "elderly" in the past 18 months or so, and he turned 80 last week.

It's definitely an attitude/ability to do stuff thing rather than an age thing. I've also known other people who were elderly in their 50s.

Person_one

beautiful_ravens wrote: »

Old age is wisdom. Elders are wise. That is what is 'old'.

You've not met my nan! :rotfl:

swampduck

My Brother in law's parents (now sadly passed on) used to do delivery for meals on wheels when they retired. They were well into their seventies at the time delivering to their old folk who were younger than they were!!!!

Swampy