Final answer:
Perceptions of what constitutes 'elderly' vary by individual and culture, influenced by attitudes and societal expectations. While certain age-related milestones are celebrated, natural aging signs are sometimes met with resistance or shame due to cultural values. Personal experiences and feelings about aging can differ from one's chronological age.
Step-by-step explanation:
Perceptions of aging and what it means to be elderly are subjective and vary widely among individuals and cultures. While some may regard old age as the period starting at age 65, with eligibility for federal benefits like Social Security and Medicare in the United States, others may resist identifying as old to maintain a sense of usefulness, or due to the stigmatization associated with aging. Different generations also view aging differently; for example, Baby Boomers might not consider someone old until they reach 73, while Millennials may view 59 as the onset of old age.
Individuals' attitudes towards their own aging can be influenced by societal expectations and cultural attitudes towards youth and beauty. Moreover, people's subjective experiences of aging can differ from their chronological age, with some older individuals feeling younger than they are, participating in activities typically associated with younger people, such as running marathons, which defies common stereotypes of aging.
It is also noteworthy that culturally significant milestones such as First Communion, Bar Mitzvah, or Quinceañera celebrate the transition into adulthood, while signs of natural aging can sometimes be met with shame or resistance, highlighting the complexity of the aging process and individual responses to it.