It’s tough getting past your own ageism. There are so many cards and jokes about getting older and being old. It’s something that we’ve been encouraged to run from since we were kids. We were told that it’s rude to ask an adult their age. It’s no wonder that we have a tough time accepting that we are older. I think this is one of the reasons folks don’t join seniors programmes: they’re full of old people!
“Senior” Is Too Vague
With the advent of the longer lifespan, people in the “senior” demographic can be 30 or more years apart. Those are different generations! When you AND your parents are labelled seniors by society, it’s really hard to accept it as a valid label. You’re health, life experience, and what you want out of this stage of your life are quite different.
An Empowering Time Of Life
Yes, we need to be more accepting of our older adult status, but we also need more relevant labels for folks in that middle season of life. I’d go to a workshop or activity if it was aimed at women who are in their sixties with the positivity and enthusiasm of someone like Viola Davis. In a recent podcast*, she celebrated that “In your sixties, your life is yours.” That’s the kind of energy I can get behind.
I feel more like a person in midlife, a gen X-er, an adult with experience. I’m not sure how old I’ll need to be to embrace the identity of elder or senior. Maybe when I’m 80? I’m looking forward to the opportunity to live my elder and senior years. But, at this point, those labels feel like a generation away.
Retired, And Now What? 
It is a challenge. I see the government of Canada has gone towards using the term “older adult” but that doesn’t really do it either. I’m a boomer, although being born in the last year of the boomer years, I consider myself more of a gen x.
Part of me wonders why we need these labels. There are huge differences between people born even in the same year.
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You’re right there are huge differences between people born in the same generation. The thing that they have in common is the time period in which they grew up. They were exposed to the same technology, current events and culture at the same time in their lives.
We grew up with phones attached to the wall, house keys on a string around our necks, roller blades and Farrah Fawcett curls. In many ways, this shaped the way we see the world today. I guess that’s why generational labels can be helpful. (Although as someone born on the cusp between generations, I’m a bit of both).
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