Americans Consider A Person As 'Officially Old' Upon Reaching This Age

The age when most people would consider as ‘officially old’ is not 60-years-old anymore but 57 years. That is at least three years before the big six-oh, as revealed in a survey of 2,000 Americans. The survey, which was conducted by OnePoll, was commissioned by the at-home health testing company, LetsGetChecked.

More Than Just Wrinkles

The survey did not just get the opinion of Americans on what age they think is considered officially old but also examined what their worries are as they grow old. Researchers found out that Americans think about a lot of things more than just wrinkles and gray hair as their age advances.

According to the results, the chief concern of the respondents appears to be their state of physical and mental health. Aside from health worries, 34% of the respondents are also concerned with not being able to take care of themselves, and 33% worry about being considered by others as ‘old.’ The remaining 33% are worried about their financial security as they grow old.

The results also show that 45% of respondents admitted they have not or are not saving money for their retirement. For respondents who said they are setting aside some money for the future, the survey results showed that most of them are saving around 19% of their monthly income. Meanwhile, 34% of those who are not setting aside some money, whether for retirement or other reasons, say they are not saving because they do not want to feel old.

Health Worries

Many of the respondents, however, understand that they cannot avoid growing old, which is why more than 66% of them say they are taking steps to prepare for the future. The survey also looked into what steps the respondents are taking, specifically examining those that relate to their wellness and health.

At least 64% of respondents say they have a hunch when they should start submitting themselves for testing for various types of health issues. The survey also looked into their answers. As it turned out, respondents showed knowledge of what age such testing can start.

They believe breast cancer testing should be done when at 36 years old, in contrast with the recommended age of 40 if you are to ask the American Cancer Society. They also believe testing for colon cancer should begin at 40, as against the recommended 45 years old.

Proper Screening And Diagnosis

Although the survey did show people have knowledge of when to get tested, there is still a sizable group of individuals who are not getting the tests. This was what the chief medical officer of LetsGetChecked, Dr. Robert Mordkin, said when asked for his opinion on the survey results.

He said that when it comes to a serious ailment like colon cancer, proper screening and diagnosis are important because most patients will not experience symptoms during the early stages. “We understand that not everyone has access to a doctor — particularly at the moment when social distancing is so important — which is where home health testing comes into play; it makes screening easier and more accessible,” Dr. Mordkin said.