Old age

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Old age consists of ages nearing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle. Euphemisms and terms for older people include seniors or elderly(chiefly US). Some believe there to be prejudice against older people in Western cultures, referred to as ageism.

Older people have limited regenerative abilities and are more prone to disease, syndromes, and sickness than other adults. For the biology of ageing see senescence. The medical study of the aging process is gerontology, and the study of diseases that afflict the elderly is geriatrics.

Contents 1 Attempts at definition 2 Demographic changes 3 Life expectancy 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Attempts at definition

Old age cannot be defined exactly because it does not have the same meaning in all societies. In many parts of the world, people are considered old because of certain changes in their activities or social roles. For example, people may be considered old when they become grandparents or when they begin to do less or different work. In the United States and Europe, people are often considered old if they have lived a certain number of years.

Many Americans think of 65 as the beginning of old age because United States workers become eligible to retire with full Social Security benefits at age 65. People in the 65-and-over age group are often called senior citizens. Starting in the year 2003, the age at which a person becomes eligible for full Social Security benefits will increase gradually until it reaches age 67 in 2027. In Western societies, everybody is declared to be "old" when they reach the ages of 65-70, and secure their pension entitlement. Some governments offer OAP's redeemable retirement saving plans.

However, you can join AARP at age 50; and a lot of small diners will offer specials to senior citizens aged 55 and older with proof of identification.

[edit] Demographic changes

Worldwide, the number of people 65 or older is increasing faster than ever before. Most of this increase is occurring in developing countries. In the United States the percentage of people 65 or older increased from 4 percent in 1900 to about 13 percent in the late 1990s. In 1900, only about 3 million of the nation's citizens had reached 65. By 1998, the number of senior citizens had increased to about 34 million. Population experts estimate that more than 50 million Americans--about 17 percent of the population--will be 65 or older in 2020. The number of old people is growing around the world chiefly because more children reach adulthood.

[edit] Life expectancy

In most parts of the world, women live, on average, longer than men. In the United States in the late 1990s, life expectancy at birth was 80 years for women and 77 years for men. American women who were age 65 in the late 1990s could expect to live about 19 additional years. Men who were 65 could expect to live about 16 additional years.

[edit] See also

• Centenarian
• Respect for the Aged Day
• Telephone Reassurance for Elderly

[edit] External links

• AARP Global Aging Program — International clearinghouse of the most relevant and timely information on aging populations worldwide

• International Federation on Ageing — Informs and promotes positive change for older people globally

• A thorough resource to promote Healthy Living of Seniors globally

• Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) A nonprofit that engages, trains, and supports older adults in using technology.

• The Myth of Old Age Old age viewed as a central issue in life.

Preceded by Middle age

Stages of human development Old age

Succeeded by Death