| [ Summary ] |
The average life span has markedly lengthened and consequently the so-called ‘elderly’ have been increasing in number. It is not possible to sufficiently judge the aging effect, including physical and mental functions by chronological age alone and biological age should also be considered.
Whether he / she is elderly or not is generally determined from the standpoint of (1) the stage when he / she feels physical weakness or makes others feel so, or (2) the stage when he / she needs help in basic daily activities. As there have been several reports in the past 10 years which have shown that the ADL of the elderly is about 10 - 15 years younger, the common societal belief that ‘the elderly’ are over 65 years of age needs to be reconsidered. Taking many factors into consideration, it would be more proper to define ‘the elderly’ as over 75 years of age. Age ranking however, is deeply related to the retirement system, the social security system, etc., and a more flexible applicaton of regulations for the elderly will be needed. |