I played a game with my 6-year-old granddaughter. She had a list of questions on a variety of topics. I asked a question, and she looked at the picture and stated her answer. Which tail belongs to the squirrel? Which house looks like the one in the circle? What symbol tells you not to cross the street?
Who are the grandparents?
The only difference between the grandparents and parents: gray hair (although in the picture it was closer to white). And we know which couple sported the gray stuff.
I am a grandparent with light brown, longish hair. I admit the color of my mane may no longer be totally natural, but women (and some men) have been coloring their hair for ages. All ages. How many teenagers do you see with bright red or orange or purple hair or highlights? My current color emerged after a visit with my stylist.
Apparently old women are supposed to have short gray hair. Or if long, secured in a bun. A grandparent is, according to our culture’s definition, old. Gray. Feeble. Frail. Frumpy. Seniors are the ignored people in multi-aged groups and often talked down to as if they suffer from dementia.
Not anymore. Unfortunately the children’s game has not been updated. Or maybe it has and my granddaughter owns an old set.
Times are changing.
Historians estimate that the pre-1800 average life expectancy in most of the world was under 40. 990 million humans roamed the earth. Most folks died long before aging issues such as dementia, hearing loss, diminished eyesight – to name only three – affected folks.
Over the next 150 years, most of the world made substantial progress in lengthening life expectancy. By 1950 life expectancy in the U.S. was 68, and in 2015 – 79 years. Today 7.3 billion people inhabit the planet, and a lot of us are old. We may work into our 70s and 80s – or not. We may travel, live a leisurely lifestyle in a retirement community, spend a lot of time with family, and deal with mounting health issues.
When 65 became a common retirement age, most people did not get to enjoy many years of new-found freedom, and economic and health issues limited options. A lot of folks could not afford to retire. They worked as long as they could, and if lucky, lived with and were supported and cared for by their family. (Remember the TV series The Waltons?)
The number of retirees swelled during the second half of the 20th century, and by the 21st century more folks – 10,000 boomers retire every day – retired with decades of life to look forward to. They are better educated, healthier, and more economically stable than their predecessors. They are ready to enjoy a new, exciting chapter in their life. Our economy would suffer if seniors refrained from travel, dining out, and indulging on their homes, clothes, recreational activities, their kids and grandkids, and their health.
But stereotypes linger.
Most seniors have health issues but prefer not to dwell on them. They want to be as active as possible, and not sit in front of a TV screen wallowing in their aches, pains, and pills. Watch old TV shows beloved by boomers, and the viewer is bombarded by commercials for medicines, medical equipment, and life insurance – just in case those meds don’t work. How about a couple or two or three ads about travel ideas or recreational equipment?
On the other hand…I welcome senior citizen discounts!