DR ROS ALTMANN
DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA
PRESS RELEASE
April 10, 2011.
OVER-50S ARE GRUMPY, UNFRIENDLY AND “PAST IT”? NOT SO, SAY THE WHIPPERSNAPPERS.
Oldies’ perceptions that younger people pigeonhole them as grumpy, unfriendly and “past it” are misplaced, according to independent research commissioned by over-50s lifestyle group Saga.
The research compares the perceptions 18-24s have of over-50s with what older people believe younger people think.
“The overall message is that perhaps crossing the boundary to 50 is nowhere near as life-changing as myth, Grumpy Old Men and Victor Meldrew would have it,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga.
“Around 67% of over-50s believe 18-24s perceive them as ‘past it’, but the reality is that just 18% of 18-24s actually have that perception. And while only 11% of over-50s think younger people perceive them as friendly, the reality is that around 29% of 18-24s do actually think older people are indeed friendly.
“We’ve decided that all this is becoming such an issue we’re putting up a £10,000 reward for the video that best dispels the ’50-is-old’ myth.
“There are more myths to be shattered too: just 17% of over-50s think 18-24s consider them knowledgeable; however, the truth is that 42% of 18-24s perceive oldies as being great fonts of knowledge.
“Perhaps understandably, 18-24s are largely unenthusiastic about turning 50, with 39% of younger adults saying 50 seems old, but only 8% of over-50s agreeing once they reach and pass that milestone. 60% of over-50s consider 50 to be ‘just another birthday’, while only 16% of younger people dismiss it in the same way.”
The video competition is open to anybody over the age of 16 who lives or studies in the UK
Video submissions: Full details on http://www.saga.co.uk/being50
The research was conducted by YouGov for Saga, sampling 1,148 UK
Ends
Further information:
Iain Macauley
07788 978800
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