A recent study suggests that middle-aged and older adults now see the start of old age as happening later than in the past, influenced by better health and longer life expectancy.
The increase in life expectancy and later retirement may be the reasons for the change in how people think about when old age starts.
A study published by the American Psychological Association reveals that middle-aged and older adults think that old age begins later in life compared to previous generations.
Markus Wettstein, PhD, of Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, and the study's author, mentioned that longer life expectancy and improved health may be the reasons why people now perceive old age as starting later.
However, the study, which was published today (April 22) in the journal Psychology and Aging, also found evidence that the trend of later perceived old age has slowed in the past two decades.
Study Findings on Age Perception
Wettstein and colleagues from various universities analyzed data from the German Ageing Survey and found that participants born later reported a later onset of old age compared to those born earlier.
The researchers discovered that participants born later reported a later start of old age than those born earlier. For example, at 65 years old, early-born participants set old age at 71, while those born in 1956 said it begins at 74.
Yet, the researchers also noticed that the trend of a later perceived onset of old age has slowed down recently.
Evolving Trends and Future Directions
Wettstein mentioned, “The trend toward postponing old age is not linear and might not necessarily continue in the future.
As individuals got older, they saw the start of old age pushed further out. On average, at 64 years old, they thought old age started at 74.7, while at 74, they believed it began at 76.8. This shows that the perceived onset of old age increased by about one year for every four to five years of actual aging.
Finally, the researchers explored how individual characteristics such as gender and health status influenced differences in the perceived onset of old age. They found that women, on average, viewed old age as starting two years later than men did, and this difference has increased over time. Additionally, those who reported feeling more lonely, being in poorer health, and feeling older believed old age began earlier, on average, than those who felt less lonely, were in better health, and felt younger.
According to Wettstein, the results could affect how and when people get ready for getting older, and how they view older people in general.
Wettstein said it's not clear whether the trend of delaying old age reflects a more positive attitude towards older people and aging, or if it's the opposite—maybe old age is put off because people see it as an undesirable state.
The researchers suggest that future studies should check if the trend of delaying old age continues and look at different populations in other countries, including non-Western ones, to understand how ideas about aging differ by country and culture.
Reference: “Postponing Old Age: Evidence for Historical Change Toward a Later Perceived Onset of Old Age” by Markus Wettstein, PhD, and Denis Gerstorf, PhD, Humboldt University of Berlin; Rinseo Park, PhD, and Nilan Ram, PhD, Stanford University; Anna E. Kornadt, PhD, University of Luxembourg; Susanne Wurm, PhD, University Medicine Greifswald, 22 April 2024, Psychology and Aging.
DOI: 10.1037/pag0000812
