I’m glad to report a fledgling senior citizen group is starting in my Maine hometown. Many towns in our readership area have similar organizations.
Like most other groups, a name is important. Just like a logo or trademark, a name should “say it all,” what the group is and what it’s for. So once again, we consider the various names we seniors are known by and other terms affiliated with the large group of us over 65 – or is it 50?
“Senior citizen” is the term used most often, but the problem is, many seniors take offense at the term. Another question is, what age is a senior citizen? In the late 1980s, on a trip Down East, I got a senior citizen discount at a fast-food drive through, based on my mature-looking face, I guess. Anyone over 50 was considered a senior! I was surprised, momentarily offended, but welcomed the wonderful cup of coffee at 50 percent off.
There’s no definitive age at which senior citizenry starts – and I’m wondering if all others are called “junior citizens.” Something to think about.
“Golden Years” refers to what life will be like when one retires. This is obviously a misnomer created in the advertising and marketing firms where a senior executive might be 32 years old and thinking of retirement years. The Golden Years, as a destination, always reminds me of Atlantis and/or Shangri La. We’ve heard a lot about them but in reality, they remain as elusive as Ponce Deleon’s Fountain of Youth.
“Golden Years” segues to “Golden Agers,” best left to a really good imagination and a lot of wishful thinking.
“Seasoned Citizens,” another vague term, is meant to denote wise and learned folks. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be thought of as “seasoned,” which is something straight out of Julia Child’s cookbook.
“Mature” reminds me of a good, expensive wine, but I know what it means, grown up and thereby, intelligent. Now, I know plenty of people in my peer group who have a long way to go before being called “mature” and I also know some 17- or 18-year-olds who are very mature. Are there degrees of maturity? How is that determined?
For several years in my past, during a marriage, I lived on an Indian reservation in the West. The Sioux and other tribes refer to older people as Elders (and no, there’s no such thing as an Elder Circle) and all older people of any race are automatically treated with more respect than younger folks. This is because of their age and what it’s assumed they’ve acquired in knowledge. Most non-Indians I’ve talked with don’t like the term “elder” and put it into the same category as senior citizen. We like “elder,” but “elderly,” not so much.
Grey Panthers, Grey Foxes, Silver Susies, 50 Plus, Senior Voices and Older Americans. The labels roll on, and still, there’s no consensus of one name that fits – or satisfies – all.
The term “old woman” is used in the title of a recent book by an old woman from Maine. What is wrong with that? But if you named a group “old people’s club” – can you imagine the furor?
I wonder how others over 65 (or 50, or 60) feel about the terminology. Most of my peers would think this a frivolous issue – and have no opinion or input – but many of them will balk when they’re categorized.
One of the most benevolent, productive, warm and welcoming little groups of “older” people I was ever involved with was called the Over the Hill Gang – not original with us, but certainly descriptive of the age our loosely formed membership. Maybe it’s time to resurrect that group and all it stood for. Meanwhile, let’s think of ourselves as a mature, seasoned and sometimes silver group enjoying our golden years.
Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by e-mail at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
