Some Boomers don't like the term Senior???

AnnieA

Well-known Member
Location
Down South
I've seen this on several blogs, websites dealing with aging issues and I don't get it. Some cite Boomers as the generation of the seismic culture shifts of the 60s and 70s as the cause of their objection to the term--they're still rocking the boat and rejecting the term senior is a residual of those cultural changes of their youth. I'm just at the front end of GenX at 52 and know!!! I'm reaching Senior status. AARP thinks so too! :rolleyes: Guess the autoimmune issues make me feel 10-15 years older than my chronological age, so there's no stigma in embracing Senior to me. And I've worked in geriatrics most of my career and know the Senior thing comes along for everyone.

Anyhow, senior as a word in general doesn't have negative connotations: Seniors as upperclassmen in school, senior partner, senior officer, senior editor ...all those things are positive.

I realize I'm talking to a crowd that did sign up for Senior Forums, but did anyone on joining think "Ick, I'm joining a Senior message board"? I was glad to find this place by its name!
 

I joined this forum, when I was about 57 or 58 I think, and the word senior was encouraging because it meant I got to be with adults, which is what I was looking for.

At the time, I was the boss, of a staff of 15 people,, and all but one of them was under 25 so I was looking for adult conversation.... so although I was already a member of much larger forums they didn't have the intimate feel to them that this one has , so I was pleased to find this one , so I didn't mind the word 'senior' at all
 
No, I didn't think anything negative about signing up for a senior forum because I was over 50 and wanted to belong to a group of folks my own age. Never had a problem with the term senior either, although I don't recall anyone referring to me that way (to my face anyway :p). AARP smelled when I was nearing 50, and has been sending me junk mail for years now, wanting me (and my husband) to join. They send member cards and everything, and don't get that after a decade, I'm not interested. :)

I don't have a problem embracing my old age, I have two siblings that never made it to their senior years, so I feel blessed. Also, if I can score a senior discount here and there, I'm happy to take advantage. I'm sorry to hear you're suffering with autoimmune issues that make you feel older than you are, that must make life much more difficult for you. :girl_hug:

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Personally, I don't care about the name.

Some people I think, out of vanity must reassure themselves of their viability. Dislike of the label of Senior or Elderly and other words, boils down to fear, in the end.
 
I could care less about the name. I was just glad to find a forum with people I can relate to. In fact I love the perks seniors get. Just last summer when I went on my Mother/Daughter trip I was able to get both of us in all the National parks for free with my senior card. My daughter thought that was pretty cool.
 
No, I was happy to find SF.

To me, the word senior should be used to describe a place or a group of people and not used to describe an individual unless it qualifies me for a discount! :):playful::eek:nthego:
 
In general Id rather describer myself as "Senior" rather than old or elderly. To me Senior connotes some wisdom or experience with age, Elderly as kind of stuck up, and Old as decrepit. Ive never quite figured out exactly what a Boomer is.
 
Ive never quite figured out exactly what a Boomer is.

It's short for Baby Boomers because of the post WWII baby boom. Soldiers came home and were very happy to see their wives! Most use 1946-1964 as the baby boom years; some split the group into two because of sociological/cultural differences between the older and younger groups. The older group are into or very close to their 70s now and that's senior no matter who likes the term or not.
 
I don't mind the term "Senior." In fact, when I buy something, I jokingly say to the cashier, "Don't forget my senior citizen discount." They always laugh. Sometimes they'll say, "Oh, c'mon...you're not a senior citizen."




 
I'm quite happy to be called 'Senior' when it gets me discounts (usually referred to as a concession) though this varies enormously. When I visit a stately home or castle, I would usually get around 20% off, but the theatre only gives a nominal £2 reduction. Some places don't give any reduction. This also varies across different parts of the UK.
I've normally found the best reductions in Europe, where I've enjoyed half price admissions.

I'm also happy to be one of the 'Boomer' generation, although my siblings were born before or during the war. Mrs.L is an 'only child' and dislikes the term.
 
As the saying goes, "Call me whatever you like; just don't call me late for dinner". Words only offend me when I believe the speaker's intent is to be disrespectful, hateful, spiteful, cruel ... and even then, I'll rarely respond in kind.

Why do so many folks these days find great satisfaction in feeling offended?
 
As the saying goes, "Call me whatever you like; just don't call me late for dinner". Words only offend me when I believe the speaker's intent is to be disrespectful, hateful, spiteful, cruel ... and even then, I'll rarely respond in kind.

Why do so many folks these days find great satisfaction in feeling offended?

This is the generation of the snowflake and the terminally offended.... it'll go down in History with that title..
 
I don't mind being a senior, but I bristle at "elderly." Like when I'm watching the evening news and an "elderly woman, age 60" had her purse snatched. Ugh.

I'll let 'em know when I'm ELDERLY.


LOL...this is something which puzzles me too. I suppose it depends on who is using the term 'elderly' and their perception of elderly.
 
According to the "generation" names on the Internet, I am part of the "Silent" generation. I really don't care what "label" I'm given...just grateful for each passing day that I can get out and do what I want.
 

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