Table 1.

Definitions of old age

Group	Age	Goals
Entering old age
Completed their career in paid employment and/or child rearing Are active and independent and many remain so into late old age	Includes people as young as 50 years old, or from the official retirement ages of 60 for women and 65 for men	Promote and extend healthy active life Compress morbidity (the period of life before death spent in frailty and dependency)
Transitional phase
In transition between healthy, active life and frailty	This transition often occurs in the seventh or eighth decades of life but can occur at any stage of older age	Identify emerging problems ahead of crisis Ensure effective responses that will prevent crisis and reduce long-term dependency
Frail older people
These people are vulnerable as a result of health problems such as stroke or dementia, social care needs, or a combination of both	Frailty is often experienced only in late old age, so services for older people should be designed with their needs in mind	Anticipate and respond to problems, recognizing the complex interaction of physical, mental, and social care factors, which can compromise independence and quality of life

Note: Data from Department of Health UK.²