Sociology / Unit 7 Soc 1118 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Young-Old, Middle-Old, Old-Old
Captions available
The idea
Gerontologists divide the population over sixty-five into the young-old, middle-old, and old-old, since sixty-five and ninety differ as much as any two adult stages.
In practice
Housing choices, health, and financial planning differ sharply across the three subgroups even though all three get lumped together as "elderly."
Where people slip
The boundary ages are conventions for comparison, not thresholds a person crosses in any felt sense.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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