My great grandmother was 78 years old the year I was born. She lived to be 102, saw all of her children die, got to meet some of her great, great grandchildren. Saw our country move from horses to cars to landing people on the moon. I never knew her as anything but "old". Yet, I also never knew her as anything but actively alive and engaged in life with much to contribute to those around her. She baked the most wonderful cookies on her coal stove, which she used into her late 90s. She did all of her own house work, and had a garden until the day she died. So, I guess what I'm saying is that "old" in and of itself, at least to me, is not a bad thing. It is a remarkable thing, in that a person has the opportunity to taste, enjoy, and influence life for such a long time. It only becomes a problem when people make incorrect assumptions and judgments about others based on looks, functional ability, and age itself. Now I have a cousin who is two years older than me. He, has for the most part, given up on life and seems to be just sitting around waiting for things to end. He has no hobbies, spends most of his days waiting for work to end, goes home and watches TV until it's time for bed. He has no plans for what he will do upon retirement next year. To me, he's not old. Rather, he may be depressed, is definitely not engaged and doesn't seem to have much joy in his life. It would be wrong or incorrect to label him as old if were attempting to use that particular word to describe his lack of interest and engagement in life.

On a side note, I called my parents yesterday after the minor tremors from the earthquake outside Richmond VA (they live closer than I do). Where was my 80+ year old father with two knee replacements during the tremors? On a ladder trimming the upper branches of a 25 ft. tall tree. He said he thought the ladder was moving a bit because of the wind. Is he old? It depends on how your using the word.