It was not so very long ago that hitting the milestone birthday of 40 was the time to accept that middle age had arrived. No more.
Researchers have suggested that mid-life begins at 60, just as most people are contemplating the joys of retirement and a free bus pass.
Scientists say that with increased life expectancy we need to rethink our ideas of what constitutes middle and old age otherwise the proportion of elderly people will continue to grow.
They argue that rather than fix a point at which we consider ourselves elderly - such as 65 - we should factor in the length of time we are expected to live.
With better health and increased longevity that, for many people, is far later in