May 2, 2024 – When does old age start? Obviously, it depends on who you ask. And when you were born. For millions of people born between 1952 and 1974, the line between middle age and old age is a moving target, according to German researcher Dr. Markus Wetzstein.
„Every four to five years, the onset of old age changes by more than one year,'' says a research team from Humboldt University in Berlin, who studied more than 14,000 German adults born in 1999 AD. said Wetzstein, who examined data collected from . The 20th century begins in 1911.
Their discovery is Published in late April, The researchers showed that while people born later are more likely than those born early to believe that old age begins later in life, it may not continue into the future. Ta. One reason is that growth in life expectancy has slowed, especially since the coronavirus pandemic. This is a factor with important implications for today's young adults, who may eventually struggle with aging, Wettstein said. elegantly and healthily.
„While we find that individuals feel more youthful today than in the past, other research has shown that stereotypes about aging have become more negative over time, especially in the United States. ,” Wettstein said. Particularly in North America, these attitudes portray older people as a homogeneous group living with frailty, declining health, dependence, and mental decline. „The problem is that as people get older, at some point they become victims of their own stereotypes, which become a self-fulfilling prophecy.“
Digital disparity and family ties
Perhaps one of the most important factors driving changes in trends regarding perceptions of old age is digitalization. For many late baby boomers and his Generation However, the impact on digital natives (Millennials and Gen Z) could be lasting.
Although this topic has only just begun to be seriously researched, Suggestive research They point out that social deprivation during critical developmental periods can not only cause changes in the brain, but also increase feelings of loneliness and reduce happiness. is shown As we get older, chronic diseases increase, accelerating aging. Wettstein and his collaborators also noted that differences in loneliness in the study, particularly in midlife, may have led to different perceptions.
„While social connections occur online, we are becoming less likely to connect in person and realize its value and impact. It doesn't happen naturally,“ says a psychologist at Williamsburg Therapy Group in Brooklyn, New York. says Dr. Sheila Schuster. „Many young patients have told me that they don't want to talk to people, for example to make dinner reservations. How do you convince them that this can have negative long-term effects?“
Strong family ties, such as the presence of older adults in the home and in adolescents' lives, are also associated with an almost 50% higher chance of thriving. According to research.
Dr. Wendy Teyer, a geriatric psychologist at the University of California, San Diego, says, „We have created nearly every useful technology: cars, phones, airplanes, the Internet. This is to make it more convenient.“ . “But at the cost of that, we have become physically separated. Since our families have been separated, we have learned less about aging and have less respect for it.”
Dr. Minorva Seede, a geriatric psychiatrist and associate professor of geriatrics and psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, agreed.
“If you think about it more traditionally, you would have similar friends, but you had more time in your extended family to spend time with older people and observe their changes and learn from them. ” said Siede. . “The trainees told me that before they came to this rotation, the only contact they had with the elderly was with their grandmother who came to stay with them when she was sick.”
Therefore, for many young people, their only major interactions with older people are related to illness, and they are encouraged to experience more positive experiences of aging, such as resilience, good sense and self-acceptance, and the wisdom to accept themselves. It means you are missing out on learning opportunities. It's part of the life experience.
„Being close to older people and not alienating them, which I think many of us tend to do unconsciously, redefines our perception of what it means to grow old. „It's a good way to do that,“ said frequent independent health writer Liz Siegert. About the aging problem.
An informal glimpse into age perception
When does old age begin? Again, it depends on who you ask.
Carolyn Tazelar, a 37-year-old mother who is working toward a master's degree in social work, said having children has changed her perspective on when retirement begins, and now she considers age 80 to be the starting point. He said he was there. „More people are having children in their 30s, 70s, and even 40s,“ she said, adding that the pressures women feel about age, particularly those that Wettstein's research has shown to be the cause of women psychologically distancing themselves from old age, are increasing. He also pointed out the factors that led to this. „The people in my internship literally say I'm old. And they're 25 years old,“ Tazelard said with a laugh.
The idea of “young old” and “old” is also often brought up in these conversations. „I think of old age as 'old people' and 'older people,'“ said Claudia Metcalf, 54, vice president. She works in marketing and wellness for a consumer products company in Marlboro, Massachusetts. “What matters to me is how active and mentally positive the person is and how able they are to keep things going and contribute to the world.”
Now at 63, Seegert said she realizes that aging is more personal than a number. „There are 80-year-olds who don't look old to the untrained eye. And there are 60-year-olds who look much older than their biological age would indicate,“ she said.
Lovisa Williams, 49, a senior digital strategist and policy officer at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., says her situation is different from when she was a child, when she said age 65 was the critical age. He said that there has been a clear change. between middle age and old age. Since then, that view has changed. „I think it starts when you reach a point, mentally or physically, where you can't function as well as you used to. It's different for everyone,“ she said.
In fact, Wettstein said, research has shown that adults with more chronic illnesses and poorer self-related health conditions perceive that aging will begin earlier than their healthier counterparts. It pointed out.
Take Steve Rickards, a copywriter based in Philadelphia. Rickards, who is almost 71, said cutting his work from five days a week to three has changed his perception of his retirement. „When I turned 70 and stopped working full-time, I started to feel old. That change in routine really slowed me down mentally. Physically, I didn't do as much as I used to. “I can’t do any exercise,” he said. (Rickers also has a rare cancer that affects his vocal cords, which has definitely affected how he views aging.)
Changing times and ways of thinking
The world is aging, with people living and working longer, interacting more virtually than in person, and being bombarded with societal attitudes that value youth and youthful appearance. , the cognition of older people is currently being affected.
Still, aging is not a choice. It's inevitable. “It’s important to know it’s coming and be prepared for it,” Schuster said. „Start taking care of yourself young to increase your chances of aging healthily while appreciating every step of your life.“