How do you estimate age here? (Sarasota: dermatologist, how much, to buy)

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Hubby just asked me how old a neighbor was that I just met. I had trouble with coming up with an answer and finally said 65-75.

In my early working life, I had a job in which I worked with children. I could look at children and say "oh that child is 7 or that child is 4 or whatever. I could read them regardless of size.

It doesn't seem that hard to guestimate young adults. Over 45 it gets harder.

There are no old people in CA--only people who have spent a lot of money at the dermatologist and plastic surgeon. As a result, I have no clue how old all these old people are.

It is not just the passage of time, but how much time people spent in the sun, how much weight they have gained, how much they exercise, their genetics of hair loss, and how they have generally taken care of themselves. You can sort of guess the mileage but not the age.

On top of that, it appears to me that people 60-80 are considered middle aged here. You are not really old til you are 80 and for a lot of people that is still vital old. You have to be over 90 to be considered really old.

Anybody got any tips or guidelines for estimating age?

[motordavid]

Odd question, but my opin:
I am sneaking up on 68.

When I meet/see people, and if I am curious as to their age I use a rough visual thumb:
if they 'seem' younger than me I think they are probably slightly younger, as in early 60s.

If they look 'older', I assume they are about my bracket, or older.

If I am still curious, I may ask their age, or ask something like "where did you go the college and when".
All of us Boomers have a good handle on the simple arith from the '60s/early '70s in terms of HS or college, Viet Nam war, etc.

Of course part of my foolish pride is to discover that someone is '64', and I think I look better at almost 68,

I know many people that from any combo of less luck look 'not so hot' at 65, and a good number of friends that are remarkable in their late 70s, and 80s, from the luckier draw of lifestyle and genes, and luck.

My eyeball gauge generally applies only to men, as it appears to me that many women tend to have had 'some work done', sometimes for the better, sometimes not.
My 50 Cts.
GL, mD

[The Frogman]

While I can probably guesstimate a man's age within a few years I learned long long ago never to even try with a woman. If you error on the wrong end of the age spectrum, well then Katy bar the door because even the calvary can't save you from certain doom.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Cardiff by the Sea

Hubby just asked me how old a neighbor was that I just met. I had trouble with coming up with an answer and finally said 65-75.

In my early working life, I had a job in which I worked with children. I could look at children and say "oh that child is 7 or that child is 4 or whatever. I could read them regardless of size.

It doesn't seem that hard to guestimate young adults. Over 45 it gets harder.

There are no old people in CA--only people who have spent a lot of money at the dermatologist and plastic surgeon. As a result, I have no clue how old all these old people are.

It is not just the passage of time, but how much time people spent in the sun, how much weight they have gained, how much they exercise, their genetics of hair loss, and how they have generally taken care of themselves. You can sort of guess the mileage but not the age.

On top of that, it appears to me that people 60-80 are considered middle aged here. You are not really old til you are 80 and for a lot of people that is still vital old. You have to be over 90 to be considered really old.

Anybody got any tips or guidelines for estimating age?

Interesting question, Cardiff, and I am always asking that myself. And what you say is true, people here are not really "old" until they are in their 80s. I am 65, and both of my doctors have told me my age is difficult to guess. One of them said I am really "young" for this town! He has also told me that people of the same age can look/act vastly different, and he always asks himself "how is this possible?" LOL Anway, I bellydance with a group of mostly Brazilian women once per week, (I also dance with two other groups) and those Brazilian women look at least 10 - 20 years younger than they are. I literally guessed that much difference. Then I see women the same age who look at least their age or their age plus 10. The Brazilian women have a great lust for life; we all dress up in full costume just to workout and sweat each week, then often sit down to a feast with wine after. We all really enjoy life and it makes a difference.

Usually, I find that the closer someone is to my age, the more accurate I guess, even if they look really great for whatever age that is. For me, the things that make a person appear older are weight/fitness level, condition of skin and hair, and how they present themselves - do they carry themselves tall - move with fluidity and walk briskly? Do they smile and have a sparkle in their eye.....

Sun is not really the factor - I get sun everyday and am not particularly wrinkled, but I am of Latin heritage, very healthy, do not smoke and do not bake in the sun for hours on end. People who smoke look far older than their years.

[asitshouldbe]

The hands never lie, neither do the back of the elbows.

[sware2cod]

Who cares, unless you are checking whether they qualify for living in a 55+ community or giving them a 'senior discount' at a retail establishment or checking if they are old enough to buy liquor.

[beninfl]

The heat of the meat is directly proportional to the angle of the dangle times the motion of the ocean minus the square root of the size of the prize. And is inversely proportional to the mass of the ass. This quantity must be associated with the relative of the grace of the face.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by asitshouldbe

The hands never lie, neither do the back of the elbows.

Brillant.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by sware2cod

Who cares, unless you are checking whether they qualify for living in a 55+ community or giving them a 'senior discount' at a retail establishment or checking if they are old enough to buy liquor.

Yeah. I know it is shallow. I was slightly embarrassed to even ask the question.

For Hubby & I, at 64 (soon 65) & 71, we were always the oldest people in any crowd when we lived in CA. For us it is perplexing to be around so many people in our age bracket and not have a clue how old they are.

Honestly, Hubby is rather vane. He works out very seriously and looks younger that the guys in their 60s. I think he always wants to know so he can compare himself. You know how men are.

I am asking because I am usually a very astute observer of people, and I have run into an area that my powers of observation are failing me. So for me it is just curiosity.

And there is the thing of what their apparent age vs. their actual age tells you about them as people. If someone is "Sarasota young" and seems old and crotchety, they are probably not our kind of people. But on the other hand, if they seem very alive for their age, they are probably people we would like.

[Cardiff by the Sea]

Originally Posted by motordavid

My eyeball gauge generally applies only to men, as it appears to me that many women tend to have had 'some work done', sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

Tell me about it. We were at a play put on by a very small theatre group. As a result the audience was quite intimate. At intermission we were talking with one of the benefactors--very successful wealthy man and his wife. He looked normal and she looked like a baboon's ass. I wanted to tape her lips back into place. Her work was absolutely scary. And it is not like they couldn't afford the country's best plastic surgeons. I kept wondering what it was like for him to have his wife turn into that.