My daughter, a palliative care social worker and a volunteer scout for this blog, sent me a link to an article by a gerontologist about the proper term for designating older adults (http://www.geripal.org/2012/03/elders-older-adults-seniors-language.html).
The press refers to us as “seniors,” the author tells us, whereas the medical and geriatric literature refers to us as “older adults” or “the elderly.” He told about being interviewed by a reporter in her seventies who writes about matters of interest to the old. “I never use the term ‘elderly,’” she said. “My readers don’t respond to ‘older adult’ either. They don’t want to be ‘older.’ We prefer the term ‘senior.’ That’s the phrase I use in all my writing.”
In that case, the gerontologist concluded, those who write for the professional literature should use the term “senior” on the principle that “we should use the term that people use to describe themselves.”
If the reporter is correct that her readers don’t want to be called “older," it suggests that they view the terms “older adults” or “the elderly” as derogatory. It’s true that we live in a culture obsessed with youth and the appearance of youth, but I for one refuse to capitulate to it. Why should I be ashamed that I'm old? I’m delighted that I’ve reached 80 and whenever anyone asks me my age (invariably a doctor or nurse), I tell it with considerable pride. I refer to myself as “old.” What’s wrong with that? And if I manage to reach 85, I’ll be happy to refer to myself as “very old.” The only time I refer to myself as a “senior” is when I request a senior discount. But now that I think of it, from now on I’ll ask for an “elder’s discount.” To effect a change in language usage, you have to start somewhere.
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Your last two blogs on aging are related. We are proud to be old, I suggest, when we are aging reasonably well. One sign of that is taking a daily walk, or walking with a partner. Pride is more difficult when one feels like Begley's mother. It's good to make friends with younger people, but this may be difficult for those who are limited in mobility or thinking. The cycle of isolation thus keeps going.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of the state of the older person affects the terminology. In addition to the terms you review, gerontologists make distinctions between "old" and "old old". Interestingly they do not use the nicer terms. I like the term used in Hebrew "ezrach vatik" which is often translated as "senior citizen", but could also mean "veteran citizen", a connotation of experience and strength. If a particular term makes the person feel better, it's probably best to use it.
In the end it's the care and support that the person receives, and not the term, that determines his/her well-being.
Thanks for helping me think about these issues.
Ezrach vatik is greatly preferable to senior or elder, in my opinion. You're right about the difficulty of making younger friends when we're disabled or immobile, which is the reason we should start when we're still able to do so.
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