Seniors are becoming bullies .....

I've never been around seniors who were bullies in my personal life, but I've never been in a crowded facility that has nothing but seniors. I guess that people who were bullies as kids, don't lose that when they reach old age, and maybe it gets worse due to illness and dementia. I thought of the Crankshaft cartoon when I read your post, he's a grumpy old guy who chases kids off the lawn, etc. Thinking back, he was just grumpy, but had a kind heart. :)

Crankshaft-2012.06.26.gif
 
There's bullies everywhere regardless of age..in real life, work situations, and on social media, and insidious bullying on forums etc and that includes senior forums of all types , not just the young at school and on facebook et al.

I've come across them all at various times.

I remember being bullied at school until I learned to stand up for myself, but I remember loving older people, and wishing I was old because these people seemed nice..but as I've aged, I realise that . young bullies grow to be Old Bullies, ..It's tragic and heartbreaking to know that regardless of how old someone gets there will always be a chance for some people to use the victims' kindness or weakness against them or the fact these elders may not have family to support them , and bully for their own amusement.

I've always been enraged by bullying, and no less when it comes to elder abuse.. by other seniors.
 
Elder bullies might have likely exhibited this behavior during a lifetime....
The problem gets worse when it is ignored.
 
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I have met some (few) seniors who seem to not be bullies, but have a sense of entitlement due to their age. Especially with how they interact with younger folks. About 10 years ago, when I was still in my 50's, before my hip surgery I had a lot difficulty walking and would often use the mart cart in the stores. Once I was stopped whole inside the store by a woman, maybe in her 70's who started to yell at me because I was using the cart...because they were "meant for the older people". Now I did not take one from her...she was riding one too. But still, it did upset me. I chose not to respond.
 
I don't think I've ever met a senior who became a bully in their senior years, but I've met a few seniors who've been nasty bullies all their lives and are still that way, or become worse because they think they've lost some of their power.
 
My father in law used to be terrible about some things he said . He explained that he's lived long enough and "earned" the right to say what he wanted to. He was in his 80's and we'd go out to eat with him . The bus boys were usually Mexican .... and he would yell "Hey -- Pedro ... how about some agua?"
I could have crawled through the floor ......
 
Is that just up in Chicagoland? I have never experienced that and I have lived in 55+ communities for the last 18years. They are not "assisted living".
 
Yes, I have definitely met a few senior bullies. My aunt was pretty bossy before she started the gradual slide into senility. There was only one way to do something and it sure as heck wasn't YOUR way. We all found ourselves just giving in to her instead of standing up to her....I guess that would be the definition of bullying?
 
My husband's grandmother was a bully and had been one for as long as anyone could remember. She wasn't a happy woman. Sad, really.

Most of us - her own daughter included - avoided contact as much as possible. One of my sisters-in-law occasionally provoked her intentionally, just for the sport of it. One thing about bullies is that it's very easy to get their goat.
 
I live in a seniors-only community also, and have never experienced or heard of bullying. Though some people are just plain obnoxious.

Might be interesting to discuss exactly what "bullying" is. My definition would be something like:

A deliberate effort to intimidate or humiliate somebody else who is perceived as being weaker.
 
Sunny said:
I live in a seniors-only community also, and have never experienced or heard of bullying. Though some people are just plain obnoxious.

Might be interesting to discuss exactly what "bullying" is. My definition would be something like:

A deliberate effort to intimidate or humiliate somebody else who is perceived as being weaker.
Click to expand...

Your definition describes my husband's grandmother to a T!
 

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