When Does Someone Become 'Old'?

The traditional definition of "old age" has long been considered applicable after middle age, reports The Atlantic . The 2016 Marist Poll asked American adults if they considered a 65-year-old to be "old," and 60 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 agreed — yet just 16 percent of adults 60 or older concurred. The word "old" cannot encapsulate the rich diversity of life after middle age, especially with increasing human life spans and longer periods of good health. Meanwhile, the word "older" is increasingly popular because it appears to be the least imperfect of the numerous descriptors available to English speakers. Other terms, like "senior," are losing everyday relevance given their potential ambiguity and frequent inaccuracy. "Elderly" has become frowned upon given its association with frailty and limitation, and Clara Berridge at the University of Washington School of Social Work says "the fact that people don't often voluntarily relate to this term is a strong reason to not apply it to them."