“Old Age” Perception Shifting Later with Increased Lifespans and Improved Health, Study Finds

WASHINGTON – The definition of “old” seems to shift as lifespans lengthen, retirement ages increase and health in later years improves. According to a study published by the American Psychological Association on April 22, individuals asked at age 64 deemed old age beginning around age 75. Those who responded later in life also had higher estimated start dates for old age as they got older.
The investigation involved more than 14,000 participants of Germany’s “German Ageing Survey.” The study followed individuals between the ages of 40 and 100 over a period spanning from 1996 to 2021. Respondents answered survey questions up to eight times during this time frame.
The authors, including Markus Wettstein, Ph.D., of Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, noted that rising life expectancy and better health could be contributing factors for the later perceived onset of old age. They added that some aspects of wellbeing have improved over time, meaning people who were previously deemed elderly may no longer fit this description today.
The researchers found that as individuals aged, they moved up their estimate for when someone would be considered old. The average participant at 64 believed old age started around the age of 75. By contrast, participants answering questions about old age at 74 said it began later on in life — specifically, an estimated 76 years and eight months.
On average, study authors discovered that as people grew older by roughly four to five years, their perception of when old age started was pushed back around one year. The team also identified gender differences: Women reported the start of old age being about two years later than men on average. In addition, those who stated they felt lonelier or less healthy and perceived themselves as aging more quickly said that old age began earlier compared to individuals with different answers in these categories.
Wettstein said further insight is necessary to decide if an advancement regarding how the aging population will be viewed is positive or negative. “It’s unclear whether this trend of postponing old age reflects a shift toward more favorable views on older people and aging, or rather the opposite — perhaps the start of being considered elderly has been pushed back because individuals view it as an undesirable state,” he explained.
This article was reported from Cincinnati.