After the mortality alarm (which psychologists call mortality salience, awareness of the inevitability of one’s death) I wondered: at what point is a person considered old? In the 1960s, the famous Beatles song “When I’m 64” described what old age was considered back then. Written now, it should be “When I’m 84”.
In Australia an “adult” is someone aged between 18 and 64. After 65, people are considered “older adults”. For Indigenous Australians, older adults are 50-plus. Despite my personal ageing crisis, I don’t feel I belong in the same category as an octogenarian. But in 2023, how do we redefine and recategorise “late life”? I’d like to propose a new category for pre-old adults, for those beginning their ageing journey: what about “juvenile geriatric”?
This is an excellent question. The discussion should bring up many lines of debate.
I remember thinking that old people were just like that. They were old looking and acting, and that was normal for them. I knew that I would get older ….but that was a good thing: bigger stronger more rights and privileges. It was inconceivable that I would get old like that.
I was in denial right up to 50. I’m still in denial about the path between where I am now (slightly old but doing very well) and the decline to 80/90/100+. Will I be the me of today…please? I am working as hard as I can to make it so. And I am not ready to accept the alternative.
Given the increasing variance in the divergence between biological and chronological age. Maybe we should drop the concept of chronological age altogether.
Some 50 year olds are suffering from age related comorbidities, in an age where others are fitter and healthier and have longer telomeres and better methylation than the average 30 year old.
How long until biological measures of aging allow us to start measuring backwards… Instead of “I’m 50 years old” … "I’m 60 years to go’.
Hahaha… for me it was turning 60 years old and the beginning of arthritis, dysphagia and looking old and tired in the mirror. I began my anti-aging research and discovered an article in Men’s Health magazine. Guys age 40- 50-60 and 70 talked about a medication that took them back physically… biologically… rapamycin.
More research brought me to Blogsklonny, Kaeberlein and Attia. Researchers well respected. So I visited my Personal Physician and made a plan to try to slow my aging. Going on 4 years later… I feel euphoric, memory rocks, body stronger and looks great. I feel like 50 years again - maybe younger (almost 66 years old).
With my biological reset… thanks to rapamycin, I view old as maybe 70… will see when I get there.
Rapamycin, TRT and acarbose changed the aging process and my health. Just kicking it now and enjoying it as I watch others age badly.
If someone my age or younger asks me how am I rocking it… I put them on the path of discovery with rapamycin. Going to have a great journey those last few decades.