Early on, as a writer in the field of dementia and aging, I shied away from the use of the word seniors. I still do. Being a senior in high school or college comes with its own excitement. No one I know is excited to be declared a senior citizen or receive their first AARP card in the mail unless they’re expecting a discount.
What language should we use when speaking of, or writing about, aging? How can we refer to our wise elders without eliciting offense?
Use of Proper Attributions
Using the appropriate language to address any population is important. I write of my mother as a person experiencing dementia. It’s a true statement. She was my mother who remained a person regardless of what happened inside her mind. My mother was a person who also experienced a myriad of other life events, including a road trip to Vegas in 1957 and losing a husband to Parkinson’s at age 82.
In this age of relentless marketing of products that ensure none of us ever appear old, we don’t need advertising dollars to address the language we use to ensure none of us ever feel older than necessary.
This idea of awareness about ageism, defined by the WHO as “the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age,” is twofold. The awareness addresses how to be respectful while also being accurate.
The National Institute on Aging, which ironically uses aging in its name, offers this advice when writing or speaking about a certain demographic: Choose neutral terms such as “older adults,” “older populations,” or more specifically, state which population you’re referring to. We’re all aging, so why not also be honest, and say “we” or “us,” such as “when we age.”
The term the aged is also out of use. The use of homes for the aged peaked in the early 1960s. The same applies to elderly, whose use peaked in the mid-1980s and senior citizens with a peak usage in late 1970s. Besides, I know older adults who have more stamina than I do. They are not elderly, nor senior citizens. In a time of increasing divisiveness over generational attitudes between Gen X, Millennials (Gen Y), and Gen Z, leaving out use of “boomer” is now preferred as well.
And lest we forget those who surround those individuals who are also older adults, many organizations are shifting away from “caregiver” to the term “care partner,” to support the role we play in helping each other thrive.
More Word Usages
The language we use matters. If we’re intentional about who we address and how, we’re able to reach the heart of matters quickly and respectfully.
More and more, our society is reporting on individuals who live to be 92, 96, 100. To call them aged, or senior citizens, is to take away their identity, and remove their right to claim the entirety of their years. Using the correct language to shine a light on their lived experiences ensures their lived knowledge is passed down to the next generation.
Besides, the current generation of older adults is anything but stereotypical, as demonstrated by Fauhja Singh, a 112-year-old British marathoner. I wouldn’t want to be in the room when he rises from a chair. He’s probably nimbler than many of my peers. Including myself.