What should seniors be called?

#OlderAdult #Seniors #PersonOver65

Several years ago, a big university decided that we should no longer be called seniors or elderly. Instead, we should be called “a person over 65” or maybe “older adult.” They went so far as to direct students at the university to follow “various guidelines” to ensure that … well, what? That we’re not insulted by being called seniors? That they’re not inviting bias by calling us elderly? What hooey.

The problem is that those guidelines don’t all agree. While one says to avoid the label “elderly,” another says it is “permitted in headlines due to space constraints.” In other words, it’s OK to use the offending word when it’s more convenient? Again, what hooey.

Scrolling around the internet I see that universities, institutes, corporations and others are all copying off each other’s paper and deciding that certain words ought to be banned when it comes to age. Instead of saying “a group of seniors,” they want writers to insert a specific number, such as “persons 65 years and older.”

Many of the style guides seem to be fixated on age 65, yet others suggest leaving the actual number out altogether if possible. It’s safer that way.

I don’t care if someone wants to call me a senior as long as they’re willing to help me by reaching for the item on the high shelf at the grocery store. I do care that nobody at the dealership tries to sell me an unnecessary service for my car just because I’m an older female. I do care that the guy at the cellphone store doesn’t doubt me when I say that my phone battery is defective. I do care that my Social Security check is deposited on time.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary, bless their hearts, lists several definitions for “senior.” I like the second one: a person with higher standing or rank.

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