I want to pull my hair out when I hear this stupid 'invisible decade' crap. I'm 55 and certainly do not feel invisible. I am top in my career. Christ- I even am top in the gym competitions against 30-somethings and beat all of the 40-50-60 year old men on Peloton
I don't walk around feeling invisible. People talk and chat and say 'hello'. I don't get brushed off. |
+1 I have my mojo back. I feel more energetic than I did years ago. |
Cool, you're the exception rather than the rule. Many women struggle finding themselves after decades of caregiving and feel lost & unseen. It's great that you do not relate, but that doesn't make it true. |
Don’t listen to the lies. Most 50-something women I know are loving life. I don’t know anyone who feels lost or unseen. You must be young. |
You’re both taking your anecdatal experience and attempting to make it universal. |
Does it actually matter? 2 years is close enough; we’re not in elementary school. |
DP. It seems to me that no one who feels that way would actually confide in you. |
No I had a blast in my 50s (lived in new country, learned new language, acquired advanced degree, made many new friends, and did tons of volunteer work). Even my early 60s are not that bad so far. I think a lot depends on lifestyle and access to good quality medical care - have great medical team/ eat well/ exercise regularly and have strong social relationships (stable partnership, good friends, faith community or some other sense of belonging to a group and creating a sense of meaning in your life). That said I am slowing down and pace myself. Current events are terrifying but so grateful to have family and good friends and faith community to accompany me on the wild ride. |
Maybe the ones that never worked |
| I think 40-45 as the start of middle age. And 65 as the start of “old”. 80 as the start of “elderly” which to me seems more old. |
Attitude is so much of it too. |
| I am 54. Started to feel like I could be considered old. I guess it's arguably late middle age until 60. I'd say 60 and older is "old." Everything is relative. It just is. Friends my age are grandparents. That is old. |
I believe that 65 is considered the beginning of old age. Average life expectancy is 77.5 in US so very old may be 75 and above. However millions of people live into their 80s and 90s so perhaps very old age is above life expectancy. |
Yeah, I think my thoughts about this have been influenced a bit after moving into a house with a neighbor across the street who is 101. Based on his perspective, I'm only half way through... |
| 50 or older |