From Age to Age

John P. Marcum, Research Services Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Louisville, Kentucky

A favorite discussion when I taught "sociology of aging" involved asking students to define when a person becomes an adult in American society. There are, of course, numerous ways to approach the matter -- legal, economic, social, residential -- and the one taken can lead to very different conclusions. Is it when one obtains a driver's license? Is able to vote for the first time? Becomes financially self-sufficient? Or, as a friend once suggested, "when you no longer care what happens to your high school's football team"?

We recently asked Presbyterians (through the Presbyterian Panel) to identify the ages they associate with three major stages of life: young adulthood, middle age, and older adulthood. While individual responses varied a bit, the averages were remarkably consistent across the four groups surveyed:

When Life Stage Transitions Occur: Views of Presbyterians

	Members	Elders	Pastors	Specialized Clergy
Median Age in Years When:
young adulthood begins	18	18	18	18
young adulthood ends	35	35	35	35
middle age begins	40	40	40	40
middle age ends	60	60	60	60
older adulthood begins	60	65	61	61

Despite their very different vantage points, younger and older Presbyterians also defined these life stages similarly -- with a couple of interesting exceptions, as the next table shows for members. In brief, the youngest members (under age 40) on average see middle age beginning at a younger age than do members in older age groups. Also, the oldest members (aged 70+) on average see older adulthood beginning at an older age than do members in younger age groups.

How Current Age Affects Presbyterians' Views of When Life Stages Begin (Members' Responses)

	Current Age
	<40	40-54	55-69	70+
Median Age in Years When:
young adulthood begins	18	18	18	18
middle age begins	36	40	40	40
older adulthood begins	60	60	61	65

So what term or phrase should we use when we refer to someone who has reached older adulthood? Well, for one, how about older adult? Majorities of 90 percent or more believe this term is "respectful" and, in fact, more than one- half of members and elders and eight in ten pastors and specialized clergy "regularly" use the term "older adult." Other terms viewed as "respectful" by most Presbyterians include "elderly" and "senior."

But you might want to stay away from terms like "old person" or "prime timer"; majorities of Presbyterians see them as "not respectful" and, in consequence, few Presbyterians use them regularly. And I'd use "golden ager" with some caution, too. While two-thirds of members and elders find this term "respectful," a majority believe that it is "outdated" and fewer than one in ten describe it as a term they themselves regularly use. Pastors and specialized clergy are even less likely to use this term, perhaps because three in every four view it as "outdated."

Clear? Good! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to check on how my high school football team is doing. (Let's see, what were they called . . . Lions? Tigers? Bears? Oh, my!)

For more: Order a copy of the complete results from PDS at (800) 524-2612 and request the November 1997 Presbyterian Panel Report on "Older Adult Ministries" (#70360-97254). The cost is $5.00.

Email the author: Jack Marcum