Final answer:
Eric, at 97 years old, is categorized as elderly, specifically within the 'old-old' subgroup. Different societal and generational views exist on when a person is considered old, but the U.S. generally defines elderly as anyone over sixty-five.
Step-by-step explanation:
Eric, who is 97 years old, falls into the category of elderly. This is based on societal norms and government classifications in the United States that typically consider anyone over the age of sixty-five as elderly. Specifically, within the subgroups of the older adult population in the U.S., Eric would be categorized as 'old-old', which is for individuals over the age of eighty-five. Life-stage subgroups for older adults are categorized as the young-old (sixty-five to seventy-four years old), the middle-old (seventy-five to eighty-four years old), and the old-old (over eighty-five).
Various perspectives exist regarding the onset of old age, which may depend on generational beliefs, physical health, and chronological age. The Baby Boom generation, for instance, considers a person officially "old" at seventy-three, while Millennials set the age at fifty-nine. The importance of differentiating within the elderly category is highlighted by the fact that individuals like Eric, who are considerably older than sixty-five, have vast differences in life experiences compared to those who have just reached the elderly age threshold.