Recently I read a little saying:
"If you fall and those around you laugh, you are young.
But if they are very concerned and rush to you, you are old!"
When you think about it, it does seem to be true.

I am 75, and when I retired two years ago I started to volunteer to take "elderly people " to Dr app. and run errands for them. I used to color my hair by stopped last October and am now free of trying to hide that gray line in my hair every couple of weeks. I have recently been having pain and weakness in my right hand, Doctor said it is Arthritis..now it starts. I still mow the lawn, clean the pool filter, maintain the flower beds, longarm quilt and babysit some weeks.
Elderly is a state of mind for me, but realistickly speaking...I would be considered by other as elderly just because of my age but not in my behavior.

So like others have said...when one is unable to take care of themselves.....maybe??

I don't know that I've ever used the word "elderly"....mostly I just say "older", as in older than me (will be 61 in Dec.)

I'm now 65 and that surprises a lot of people I meet. Most guess my age 10 years younger. Sure I have a few more aches and pains, but for the most part I feel pretty darn good. I do have to say thank you to Noxema face cream (49 years useing twice a day), and thank you to L'Oreal for a natural grey blond hair color. I'll be elderly when I can no longer drive, cook my own meals, and see to read and sew. Until then I'm good to go!!

Elderly is when someone else has to remind you to go out and pick up your mail and newspaper, cook your meals, do your driving, make sure you shower and change clothes, and generally take care of you. Until then, you are "wise." Those nasty spots on your skin are wisdom spots, according to my dermatologist, so I'm sticking with wise, for now.

I have been "Old Lady" since my oldest son went off to The Citadel in 2001, a term he uses affectionately to this day. So I expect I am old in lots of people's eyes but I am certainly not elderly! I am taking a fair amount of pills for things but elderly, NO! And I do get stiff when I sit a while but not elderly, do you think? Sometimes I can't lift things I used to and have to ask for help but that's just to make other people feel helpful. Surely that's the reason. Nope not elderly! I'm pretty sure. I'll think about this tomorrow . . . if I can remember.

I think elderly is someone in their 90's. My DH is going on 77 and I will be 72 years old in October and we certainly are not elderly. We travel all over in our RV and camper, we have worked on our house and yard, painting and fixing tons of stuff without any help at all. We maintain a huge yard filled with flowers, he still rides his motorcycle and I quilt and knit and sew and cook and bake. We are very active people. I have observed that when you start getting into your 90's life does change a great deal. My two aunts are now 94 and 97 and they live in assisted living apartments. My hair is whiter than the Aunt who is 94.

I felt "old" when my hand doctor told me I was too old to have my trigger finger repaired again. I'll be 75 in two weeks, but with dealing with heart disease for the past 20 years, I feel I will be 95. The quilting room is the only place I want to be. But I still thank God that I can still get up and down the stairs every day.

I'll be 73 in August. I don't look or act like that age. Most people think I'm a lot younger since my hair is still it's natural brown with just a few gray hairs and I don't really have any wrinkles. I don't consider myself elderly but I can tell there are some things I'm not able to do as well as I used to. I think part of it is I don't think of myself as "elderly". State of mind can make a lot of difference. If you think you're old then you act it.