Engineering for very adults

So what do we of a certain age prefer to be called, and just what age is that anyway? Most folks I know who could be described as, uh, mature, object to many if not all of the usual labels, like senior, elderly or just plain old. And of course we're talking about a pretty wide age range here, from 50+ to 100 or more. Shouldn't we be entitled to more than one word? And if so, who gets which one and where do we draw the line(s)? I suppose we could just add one more very for each decade after 50, but that starts to add up after a while. Dare we defy AARP and start a bit later than 50? I wouldn't. After all, it's a fine organization that offers an outstanding driver safety program along with its many other benefits, and now that I'm in I wouldn't want to be booted out, even for a couple of years.

Why don't we turn this issue over to the professionals and consult Dictionary.com? Good idea. Here's what they have to say in the form of Usage Notes for old and elder:

Usage Note: Old is the bluntest of the adjectives most commonly used in referring to advanced or advancing age. It generally suggests at least a degree of age-related infirmity, and for that reason it is often avoided in formal or polite speech. Many prefer elderly as a more neutral and respectful term, but it too can suggest frailty, especially in reference to individuals as opposed to a group or population. And while senior enjoys wide usage as both a noun and adjective in many civic or social contexts, it is often considered unpleasantly euphemistic in a phrase such as the senior couple living next door. · As a comparative form, older would logically seem to indicate greater age than old. Except when a direct comparison is being made, however, the opposite is generally true. The older man in the tweed jacket suggests a somewhat younger or more vigorous man than if one substitutes old or elderly. Where old expresses an absolute, an arrival at old age, older takes a more relative view of aging as a continuum—older, but not yet old. As such, older is more than just a euphemism for the blunter old, offering as it does a more precise term for someone between middle and advanced age. And unlike elderly, older does not particularly suggest frailness or infirmity, making it the natural choice in many situations.

The adjective elder is not a synonym for elderly. In comparisons between two persons, elder means "older" but not necessarily "old". In other contexts elder does denote relatively advanced age but with the added component of respect for a person's achievement, as in an elder statesman. If age alone is to be expressed, one should use older or elderly rather than elder.

But I digress. Are you wondering when (or if!) I'll actually get to the engineering topic? OK, here we go. Remember how I mentioned AARP's many benefits? Well, here's another one: interesting news that relates to driving for old folks, or whatever you want to call us. I learned in my AARP Bulletin recently that Ford and Nissan have created special suits that mimic some common effects of aging, like a chubbier middle, arthritic stiffness, balance difficulty and failing eyesight. Design engineers wear these outfits to help them relate to what driving with these issues feels like and create modifications that can help. Thank you automakers! And thank you AARP!!