At what age is one considered a senior citizen? According to AARP, apparently the age is 50. For those younger than 50, you will get a rude awakening when you turn 50. In your mail, on your birthday or maybe a day later, you will get a packet from AARP asking you to join. Some restaurants have an ‘over 55’ menu. And there are numerous ‘over 55’ communities as well. The National Park Service says 62 is the magic age. In August of 2017, the lifetime Senior Pass went from $10 to $80 for U.S. residents over the age of 62. Of course, Medicare says it’s 65, while Social Security says you begin being a senior at 62.

I googled ‘At what age is a person considered a senior citizen?’ Here’s the response.

65
Some dictionaries define “senior citizen” as a person over the age of 65. In everyday speech, the term is often shortened to “senior.” In legislation, the term applies to the age at which pensions, social security or medical benefits for the elderly become available.

Ok, that ‘elderly’ word bothers me a bit. I may be approaching the last age I can find for senior citizenry, but doggone it, I’m not elderly!

I am 62 years old. I have never minded telling my age and found it odd when people do. I would much rather say I’m 62 and take the chance that people will think I look 55 than lie and say I’m 50 and people think I look 55!

And that’s another thing. I still care what people think about me. It doesn’t rule or ruin my life, but I still care. I always thought you lose that as you age—the giving a flip about what people think. I’ve read on Facebook several people saying something to that effect. Maybe I still have some aging to do!

Oh, but I DO notice the aging in other ways.
Old people always talk about how fast time goes. And wow, am I there! I look at young mothers, struggling with their children. Many times, I go to them and tell them they will be amazed, when they get to my side of motherhood, just how fast their little ones grow up. I love my life now, but I get a lot of joy remembering my boys when they were little. I adored being a mother! Now, I look forward to being a grandmother.

And oh, what getting old has done to this body of mine! At any given time, I could (I try not to, by the way!) tell you what hurts beginning from my neck
—sometimes my head—down to my toes, stopping MANY times in between. My joints sound like I need a lube job and my eyesight is failing. I have reading glasses all over the house so they are always nearby.

And losing weight. I wish I did not (or should not) care about that, but I do, and I should. It’s hard. A lot harder than when I was young. I remember when my stomach was a little poochy, I could skip a supper and the next morning, have a very flat stomach. Now, if I forget to eat a meal, I am convinced I am coming down with something! One change in that regard is I really do care about the health benefits of losing weight now. But the vanity thing still creeps in occasionally.

And my memory! I’ve always been a note taker, but now it’s essential. I remember my former mother-in-law saying that she kept a notepad by her chair. She said, before she stood, she would jot down the reason she was getting up just in case she forgot during the process of getting up! I haven’t gotten THAT bad, thank the Good Lord.
But I’m not elderly. Yet.