What does elderly mean?

Elderly is an age descriptor used to refer to older adults.² The term is generally used for people over the age of 65, although definitions can vary.² The term is used both in research and in wider society.

Some research breaks the elderly into two categories: “early” and “late” elderly.² Early elderly largely refers to those aged 65 to 74, while late elderly includes everyone over 75.² However, the exact difference between those two groups, and where the cut-off is drawn between early and late, is not entirely clear.²

Alternative phrases for elderly

The use of “elderly” in research contexts has received criticism from some specialists due to its lack of specificity and nuance.³ A wide range of older adults could be described as elderly, each with varied needs and differences.³ This means the term does not offer much detail about the individual beyond a rough age bracket.³ Because of this, some argue that the term overgeneralizes and leads to stereotyping.³

Alternative phrases for describing the elderly have been proposed.³ Examples include “older adult” and “older person,” which are both used by the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy.³

What is geriatric medicine?

Geriatrics is an area of medicine that centers on the medical needs of the older population.⁴ It is a specialized medical area that has expanded rapidly since the early 1990s.⁵

Geriatric medicine offers help to older adults, but it does not refer to a specific age range. Instead, geriatric care is mostly offered based on a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), which treatment is based on.⁶

Similarly, while it is a specialized area of medicine in its own right, it is also multidisciplinary, covering many different areas of diagnosis and treatment.⁶ Some areas covered by geriatric medicine may include cardiology, urology, respiratory health, and more. Geriatric medicine can also overlap with gerontology, which is the wider study of aging.⁷ While the two disciplines are separate, the findings from one can help to inform and develop the other.⁷

The difference between elderly and geriatric

Geriatrics is the area of medicine that supports those who could be considered elderly, while “elderly” is a description of an age group.² Elderly is used more widely as an adjective, while geriatric tends to refer to more specific areas of medicine and research.

Elderly is more commonly used to describe someone’s age or to group older individuals based on their age, while geriatric is considered to be a more medicalized term. Consequently, “geriatric” is more likely to be used in medical settings and research than it is to be used conversationally. Moreover, the term is not often used to describe an individual but rather to describe the whole field.  

Why is it important?

Elderly is a fairly non-specific term that refers to a widely varying group. ^2,3 This means that using the term clinically could fail to offer the depth and specificity needed to offer valuable support.^2,3 As “elderly” commonly refers to individuals over 65, it could also erase or exclude the needs of slightly younger individuals who experience age-related health concerns while being slightly younger, such as those aged 60 to 64.²

Geriatric medicine, on the other hand, can offer support based on mental and physical assessments instead.⁶ It is also a varied discipline, which is inclusive of a wider range of specialisms.⁶ This multidisciplinary approach also means it could be catered more suitably to patients’ needs.⁶ This field may allow for a more inclusive approach to be taken when supporting patients and researching the older population.^4,5

Different ways of supporting older adults

Differentiating clearly between groups of older adults could improve research and care. Older adults are a diverse group. Even just in terms of age alone, without considering other factors, older adults can vary significantly. The medical needs of a 65-year-old could differ greatly from that of a 95-year-old, for instance.

Focusing on need and ability may be more productive in offering support to older adults than looking to age as an indicator of health alone. This approach is already taken in some areas of medicine, as reflected by some initiatives that offer support to older adults at a lower age than what is typically considered to be elderly. One example is Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in the United States, which has a minimum age of 55.⁸

There is a significant movement to look at the “frailty” of patients instead of age alone for a more accurate understanding of the needs of the group.⁹ Frailty means that someone may be less likely to recover smoothly from accidents and illness. Experiencing frailty is not exclusive to older adults, but all older adults are at risk of developing it - particularly those with other conditions.⁹

Conclusion

Elderly is a term used to describe older people, while geriatric refers to a specialized field of medicine and science. Despite being descriptive, “elderly” can be over-generalizing and lacks the detail that is often needed for both medical treatment and research. The term can also be used in a way that excludes patients from potentially important healthcare. For that reason, some call for a move away from using the term clinically.

It is important for people—both medical and non-medical—to understand the healthcare needs of older people. The rising average age in many countries makes this especially important, as more and more people need to access high-quality and wide-ranging geriatric medicine. Understanding the difference could also help when trying to access healthcare.