You are 'old' when you stop shopping and driving: study

Activities that define one's independence are the most important markers of age, according to the new research by Oregon State University researcher Michelle Barnhart.

In much of America, a person's independence is closely tied to their ability to drive, shop, and cook for themselves. Because of these unwritten adages, those who are too feeble to carry shopping bags or operate their vehicle are looked at as someone in their twilight years, the Daily Mail reported.

Barnhart conducted in-depth interviews with consumers in their late 80s, as well as their caregivers and family members - often the subject's adult children in their 50s and 60s.

 

She found that the Baby Boomers, who are ageing themselves, did not wish to be seen as old, but often treated their own parents as 'old people'