COMMENTS

28 responses to “Old, Elder, Older… What are you?”

1. At Elephant Bar restaurant, they have removed “senior discounts”, calling it “life experienced” STUPID! What snowflake youngster decided referring to an older person as “senior” is bad? THEY must think us old folks are bad!!! “Senior” used to be a respectful term, for valued old people. And “elder” (which I prefer) used to be even more honorable. Trying to be politically correct is (usually) just stupid, and the object of the “correctness” often don’t like it, like ME, and the American Indians who were asked if they liked that the Redskins team changed their name.

   Reply to Pat Alexander

2. How about “survivor”. The “survivors” have outlived every generation that can before us and this term can be used for the next 20,30. 40,even 50 years by us. Forget all the terms that indicate negativity and have an end point.

   Reply to Tobi

   1. I like it, Tobi! We’re survivors!!

      Reply to Julia Nogueira

3. In Canada, “senior” denotes respect, as does “senior citizen”. The term “old” is reserved for those who are 80+, and failing in some aspects…physically and/or mentally.

   Reply to Wayne House

4. I personally think labelling anyone because of age is wrong. Regardless of age we are people first and we are adults. Referring to anyone as old (or young) is basically putting people into categories like you would a library book. It seems to me that it then becomes like we are put in a group or class of people distinctly different from just being an adult and then it also becomes easy to become stereotyped and viewed as if those stereotypes are true for all of us even though we are all different.

   Reply to Chris lines

5. I call them ancients, there are younger ancients,
   ancients and oldest ancients, that s the right word to define them.

   Reply to Edith

6. I like Elder, or Older Adult. I’m not there yet (50) but I hate “senior citizen”. Also I hate it when you hear “an 88 year old young lady” 88 (or or 68 nor 58) is not a ” young lady”. Very condescending. Boomer won’t work for me as I am Gen X. My mother calls herself a “Boomer” but she is not; she was born in 1939. And don’t call me “honey” “sweetie” or “dear” unless you are a family member.
   Right now, I cannot call myself ” middle aged” as I don’t expect to live till 100. Older lady works fine.

   Reply to Laura

   1. Elder is right. if the aboriginal can do it. the eastern cultures would never consider demeaning their elders. They are venerated but not in this society. Crude greeting cars with body parts hanging out. Imagine if it were another subgroup what they would do. Switch black or gay or young or Jewish in place of any of the hokes and they would go crazy with indignation. This attitude keeps the elders of this society not revered for their wisdom but thrown away invisible

      Reply to smith

   2. I prefer “elderly” to “older” because it has a softer spoken tone ~ elderly 72 yo great grandma

      Reply to Blitzy Cain

7. Every year we do a funny show about what happens as we age– we’re working on a skit about what we like to be called. Recently a friend sent me an interesting one–Seinager (senior teenager) we have everything now we wanted as a teenager- our own pad,get. Up when we want to, get an allowance, go to bed as we please etc…

   Reply to Barbara Townsend

   1. Is this skit available to share

      Reply to Fran

8. I started asking for a “Geezer discount” when I was in my late 50s, since in California a senior can be anywhere from 55 on up, depending on the store. It always caused a laugh, and seemed less pathetic than asking for a senior discount. Usually, the clerk would protest, saying I must be wrong, that I didn’t look old enough. It put us both at ease, having a little conspiratorial chuckle together. I’m now turning 68, and continue using my favorite term…even though some days it feels like getting older and more crippled is nothing to laugh about…but I keep on trying!

   Reply to Chamberpaint

9. I’ve added the suffix W.O.W. to my name. It stands for “Wise Old Woman”. Suits me.

   Reply to Barbara P

   1. Geezer beats Senior- I am with you

      Reply to Laura

      1. “Geezer” refers specifically to an old man (in particular, an old-fashioned, out-of-step one). And no one I know has ever used it, with the exception of my dad.

      2. geezer is demeaning

10. Laughed at your comment that Elder should be reserved for Aboriginal tribesperson – otherwise it sounds pretentious. I wish our country gave elders, seniors, old agers, whoever more respect sometimes.

    Reply to Dianne J. Moore

11. My great niece and nephew sometimes tell me I am a cute little old lady…it’s fine when they call me that, but if you did it…I would hit you. I refer to myself as old….and really, I earned it.

    Reply to eileen

    1. Yes, I’m old. That’s what we are.

       Reply to Julia Nogueira

12. This is a great subject. I don’t care for “senior” much because it reminds me of high school (shudder). I like Elder because it’s elegant and sorta Spanish (“El Der!”) Can’t wait to see what “Others” submitted.

    Reply to Wendl in NYC

13. We call the older generation in our family “Golden Oldies,” and I like the respect it implies. My other favorite is older adult. I am a baby boomer and while I will probably always call myself that, I don’t think the younger generations will use that term for us as we age. Thanks for trying to come up with a better alternative than senior citizen. I dislike that one, and also being called “Ma’am!”

    Reply to Linda

14. I nominate “olders” as a noun – a simpler version of “older adult,” the only acceptable term. It’s short, non-value-laden, and emphasizes that age is a spectrum.

    https://seniorplanet.org//www.thischairrocks.com/?q=post/i-nominate-%E2%80%9Colders%E2%80%9D-what-do-you-think

    Reply to Ashton Applewhite

15. At the threshold of 65, I vote for goldie -one of those golden oldies. But I can live with senior (as in VP,not moment!)

    Reply to Charlotte

16. Since 40% are “other” would be interesting to see what some of those are! Maybe we’ll come up with something nicer.

    Reply to KathleenGD

    1. Hi Kathleen, we’ll be posting the list of “others” in a week or so. We’re hoping some good ideas show up :)

       Reply to Barbara, Senior Planet editor

17. Okay, we need to see what those “other” terms are that 44.44 percent prefer! I personally go with “boomer,” because it defines an age range that everybody understands … and it will be accurate no matter how old I get!

    Reply to Jane

    1. Boomer implies white middle class, and won’t work for other generations,

       Reply to Ashton Applewhite

       1. An interesting comment about “boomers”. I never thought of it as anything but a term for those of us born after WWII.. But then I’m white and middle class…