Key points from article :
Researchers from Humboldt University of Berlin analyzed how perceptions of old age have changed over time. Using data from the German ageing survey, the team examined responses from 14,056 middle-aged and older adults, born between 1911 and 1974, regarding the age they considered someone to be "old." The study spanned 25 years and was published in Psychology and Aging.
The findings reveal that over generations, the age at which people believe old age begins has shifted upwards. For instance, individuals born in 1931 viewed 74 as the onset of old age, while those born in 1944 considered it to start at 75. This shift likely reflects increases in life expectancy, retirement age, and overall societal changes. Additionally, as individuals age, they tend to revise their idea of when old age starts, often pushing it further into the future.
One explanation for this trend is that many people do not want to perceive themselves as old, so they delay what they consider to be old age. Age stereotypes may also play a role. For example, people born in later years were more likely to shift their perception of old age upwards as they got older.
Other factors, such as health, loneliness, and gender, also influence these perceptions. The study found that women generally had a higher threshold for old age compared to men, while those in poor health or feeling lonely viewed old age as beginning earlier. Despite this, none of these factors completely accounted for the overall shift in perception.
Caroline Abrahams of Age UK remarked that people often judge old age to be a few years beyond their current age. She suggested that society should embrace the idea that age is more about how one feels than their chronological number.
