We’re all getting older. That’s a statement of fact but it is a bit of concern because we are becoming an ageing population. What does that mean? Well, it could mean that we have very little youth to do the work but it also means that we are working longer or having the chance to stay fit and healthy for longer. Why retire at 65 when that’s now considered late middle age. There was a time when 65 was the retirement age for Men and 60 for women which is strange as women live longer than men. This is having an effect on Government thinking as the state pension was not designed for people going on another 15, or 20 years, the retirement age has crept up and with it so has our definitions of what age is.
Whatever age you are, though we are thinking more for the older audience we all need lap trays. Visit https://personalisedlaptrays.co.uk/collections/lap-trays to get a personalised one. Even the head of the World Health Organisation has one, somewhere, probably.
It’s to the World Health Organisation we turn now. Obviously, they have an opinion on the matter and it may be one that will surprise people. They have looked at global statistics and they have drawn up what defines human age. They are:
0-17: underage. Try telling a 16 or 17-year-old that. Whatever, childhood is extended.
18 – 65 youth/young people. Ok. Let’s read that again! The author thought at 45 he was finally, undeniably middle age. Now your telling him he’s young again! Oh, happy day! I think I’ll go surfing or snowboarding. That means…
66-79 Middle aged. Hah, tell that my mother; she loves being elderly.
80-99 elderly/senior. Don’t think we can argue against that
100 plus long lived elderly. Well that’s certainly something to put on the birthday card. Happy Long lived elderly.
Naturally this is not without controversy. You can feel Government heads getting very excited about this as the shift from middle age to youth means serious ramifications for classifications. For anyone over 43 who thought they were middle aged, interesting news fella! You’re working longer. And to those hoping to retire now their over 66? The discovery that they are, in fact, middle aged again, will signal that they are not getting that pension anytime soon.
The reason of the shift is varied. We are not as susceptible to disease and pestilence as we were thanks to public health and clean water. Our food is more varied, abundant and highly calorific. We don’t work in the primary sector and decreasingly so in the secondary so there is less risk of an industrial accident. Finally, we have the good old NHS and benefits system to catch us if we fall.
The whole subject of the aging population is a success story for the NHS and one that should make us proud.