This weekend I read in the newspaper that there was going to be a Life Expo for Seniors and Boomers. The question again what is senior? When I was working in the field of aging we spent a lot of time talking about this. It didn't matter so much to us as the people we served, A lot of people do not like being called senior.
Senior Centers are not used to their potential because they are for seniors and I know that is not me. People tend think seniors centers are for frail old people. Old is another word we don't like. There has been an ongoing debate in the senior center field as to whether the name should be changed to attract more people. Many people in the field are against this because it serves seniors. It is very clear who it serves. It is a very good place to aid with successful aging. It is wonderful place to increase social network but is probably under utilized because of the name.
A long time ago a lot of people in the field of aging including me decided numerical age really had little do with anything. It had a lot more to do with health and activity level. so someone coined the grouping of seniors whatever age into the go goes, the slow goess and the no goes and this is exactly how services are planned.
So are you a Boomer or a senior? What should we be called? It is a very fuzzy subject in the 21st century.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Today is Saturday, I love Saturday since kindergarten it has been my day off. My day to do what I would like to do but that is not true. In my mind I think it is my day but in reality I have to shop for groceries, pick-up the dry cleaning and run a million other errands.
However today was a day I did something I wanted to do. It was ladies day out for me and two of my friends. This is one very important maybe the most important key to successful aging; socialization. You must maintain very strong social networks. A lot of us do this through work, church, clubs and even hobbies. After retirement we often loose a very large part of our social network. It is something we must maintain. I think I would give my self an average or below average score on social network. A person should have many freinds of varing ages so you don't loose all of your friends to death. If all of our friends are our age we face an ever shrinking social network which is bad for our succesful aging. Most of my friends are in my generation.
Mitsy and Bitsy (not there real names) are in my generation. Today we were celebrating Mitsy's birthday she is now 61. Her birthday was in June and it was today before we could all get together. Mitsy has been my friend for over forty years. Bitsy I met through my work.
All of us are married and our husbands are living and are in good health. Bitsy has been married before and so have I. This is another phenom of Boomer life, multiple families. Mitsy has been married to the same person for over thirty years. Mitsy has one son, Bitsy has a son and a daughter from her previous marriage. All of their chidren are adults and living on their own. I don't have any children. Bitsy parents are living; my parents and Mitsy's parents are deceased.
Today we went to a local resort to tour the gardens and have lunch. When we purchased tickets for the garden tour the clerk asked if we would like the senior discount? How old do you have to be to receive the senior discount? Fifty-five said the clerk. Wow just when I was convinced fifty-five was the new thiry-five. Mitsy and I took the discount. I don't think Bitsy will be the new thirty-five until August.
However today was a day I did something I wanted to do. It was ladies day out for me and two of my friends. This is one very important maybe the most important key to successful aging; socialization. You must maintain very strong social networks. A lot of us do this through work, church, clubs and even hobbies. After retirement we often loose a very large part of our social network. It is something we must maintain. I think I would give my self an average or below average score on social network. A person should have many freinds of varing ages so you don't loose all of your friends to death. If all of our friends are our age we face an ever shrinking social network which is bad for our succesful aging. Most of my friends are in my generation.
Mitsy and Bitsy (not there real names) are in my generation. Today we were celebrating Mitsy's birthday she is now 61. Her birthday was in June and it was today before we could all get together. Mitsy has been my friend for over forty years. Bitsy I met through my work.
All of us are married and our husbands are living and are in good health. Bitsy has been married before and so have I. This is another phenom of Boomer life, multiple families. Mitsy has been married to the same person for over thirty years. Mitsy has one son, Bitsy has a son and a daughter from her previous marriage. All of their chidren are adults and living on their own. I don't have any children. Bitsy parents are living; my parents and Mitsy's parents are deceased.
Today we went to a local resort to tour the gardens and have lunch. When we purchased tickets for the garden tour the clerk asked if we would like the senior discount? How old do you have to be to receive the senior discount? Fifty-five said the clerk. Wow just when I was convinced fifty-five was the new thiry-five. Mitsy and I took the discount. I don't think Bitsy will be the new thirty-five until August.
Friday, July 9, 2010
I have been aging all of my life. I have been studying and working in aging about 35 years. Now I'm wondering if what I've studied all the years and counseled others about will apply to me.
I'm not even sure if I am old. When I started working in the field 65 was sort of the official beginning of aging. Now we hear fifty is the beginning of aging but no fifty is the new thirty or is it the new forty? Or maybe fifty is the new forty and sixty is the new fifty no I think sixty is the new forty. My great grandmother who lived to ninety-six always told me people say I'm old but I don't feel old. I think the way I've always thought and enjoy the same things I've always enjoyed. The older I get the more I think I feel the same, I think the same but I know I'm old.
I think I'm old. I'm sixty-one not the old (?) official old but the new old?
I would like to explore with you what is happening in my old age and see if it is what is happening in your old age. What is aging in America? I have read enough books on it and talked with a lot of people but I'm not sure I have an answer. Is my aging unique or like all the Boomers who are aging? When I started in the field of aging our goal was to make aging better for everyone in he USA. Did we do it? Did we do anything?
I'm not even sure if I am old. When I started working in the field 65 was sort of the official beginning of aging. Now we hear fifty is the beginning of aging but no fifty is the new thirty or is it the new forty? Or maybe fifty is the new forty and sixty is the new fifty no I think sixty is the new forty. My great grandmother who lived to ninety-six always told me people say I'm old but I don't feel old. I think the way I've always thought and enjoy the same things I've always enjoyed. The older I get the more I think I feel the same, I think the same but I know I'm old.
I think I'm old. I'm sixty-one not the old (?) official old but the new old?
I would like to explore with you what is happening in my old age and see if it is what is happening in your old age. What is aging in America? I have read enough books on it and talked with a lot of people but I'm not sure I have an answer. Is my aging unique or like all the Boomers who are aging? When I started in the field of aging our goal was to make aging better for everyone in he USA. Did we do it? Did we do anything?
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