Everyone ages differently. Numerical, or chronological, age is only one of the dimensions of aging. Getting older is also associated with changes in dynamic biological, physiological, environmental, psychological, behavioral, and social processes, according to the National Institute on Aging.
Deeper dive
Chronological age — the number of years since someone was born.
Biological aging — the physical changes that “slow us down” as we get into our middle and older years, such as clogged arteries or lung problems which make breathing more difficult.
Psychological aging — changes in mental functioning and personality that occur as we age.
Social aging — changes in a person’s roles and relationships, both within their networks of relatives and friends and in formal organizations such as the workplace and houses of worship. Although social aging can differ from one individual to another, it is also profoundly influenced by the perception of aging that is part of a society’s culture. including those involving mental functioning and personality that occur as we age.
Gerontologists emphasize that chronological age is not always the same thing as biological or psychological age, according to experts at the University of Minnesota. Some people who are 65, for example, can look and act much younger than some who are 50.