I'll bite Tom. At what age does the term elderly apply based on it's definition in the old Webster Book. My Webster leaves it at comparable or relative. In the article the term was employed respectfully. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Apr 18, 2005 Posts: 458 Location: Rhode Island
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 6:25 am Post subject:
Elderly online definitions include "doddering" and "decrepit". Anyone who gets up in the morning and drives/works on an m-jeep is not elderly regardless of age.
That unfortunate owner was young.
These things whether jeeps, boats, planes, work or any other hobby are what keeps "old guys" from becoming "elderly".
Working definitions in my neighborhood all are old guys.
85 Year old drives an MB, restored a 1918 dodge, re roofed his house last year, now rebuilding his Cushman Eagle = not elderly
88 YO picked up his 50th Ford. A '15 mustang with a rediculously powerful engine = not elderly
80 YO - had dinner with him last night - racing his sailboat in a series all weekend - solo - not elderly
80+ YO runs part of the sea cadet program at Quonset. Not elderly.
Joined: Jul 18, 2008 Posts: 638 Location: Melrose, MA and Santa Fe, NM
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 7:02 am Post subject:
See, it's really a New Englander thing! We don't have the time to sit around "relaxing". Got to get things done!
A good friend of mine who passed away a couple years ago was in his early 70's. Up until he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma Type B stage III he was working on his MB, restoring old motorcycles and tractors, repainting his house, designing/overseeing historical building construction projects, and spending most of his Summer weekends running around in the woods doing 18th c historical events.
I would never has said he was an "old guy" or "elderly". Not much ever slowed him down. I plan to be that active when I reach my 70s and 80s - a long time from now! _________________ North Shore, MA
Santa Fe, NM
1942 GPW
1952 M38
1964 Apollo 5000 GT
As I thought. No definitions that preclude it's use. Just personal sentiment. It's a relative term and completely acceptable for use in news articles. Odds are that reporter was in his/her 20's and 73 would be, relatively speaking, elderly. At 68 I would prefer to be called senior but elderly does not piss me off unless the person calling me elderly is 65! _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
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