Elders, A Misunderstood and Under-appreciated Segment of Society

Seniors, older adults, the elderly, although personally I am not enamored with that term.  They are our elders, our parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents.

I have had the pleasure, the gift, or the honor, of working with seniors for 12 1/2 years; 6 months as a volunteer and 12 years as a MSW level social worker.

This segment of the population has taught me so much. Technically where I am employed a ‘senior’ is 50+ but most of my clients are 75+ and I have to say, after working with youth, families and younger adults, I know my niche is older adults.

Think of how much an older adult has seen and lived through? Electricity, the train, the car, the airplane, the women’s vote, prohibition, the Great Depression, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Civil Rights, man on the moon, Women’s lib, advocacy for Aids patients, the Gulf War, too many genocides from WWII, Kosovo, Sarajevo, African country genocides, the conflicts in the middle east and now the resurgence of antisemitism.

What can the younger generations brag about? Cell phones, smaller computers, social media…..not so much compared to the older generations……

I consider it a privilege to work with seniors or older adults. I enjoy hearing of the history they have witnessed. They have taught me much. Many of my clients are Holocaust Survivors-consider what they lived through? My life pales in comparison, but their example is to be happy with what you have. Materialistic goods, what does it bring you? Happiness-maybe. Strive for what brings you joy is what I have been told.

Seniors/older adults, in general, are a segment of the population that can make one fearful, perhaps uncertain.  Aging does bring its own unique issues-health, diseases, illnesses, mobility issues, possibly mental health issues, and the reality that you are at an age where death is closer.

Not enough services in place in any country for healthcare, medical care, allowing for ‘aging in place’; which is really what most of us would want. Stay at home for as long as possible with services coming to us-whether it is a nurse, physician, social worker, physiotherapist, spiritual leader; whether a rabbi, priest or minister, home care workers or personal health care workers (term depends on where you live) along with cleaning services, grocery shopping, etc.

Personally, with the technology we have today, I look forward (although I still have time to go) until I reach my ‘golden years’ and I do not fear it. I am healthy, eat well, live as stress free a life as possible, enjoy my friends and family, and very much enjoy the profession I have chosen to work in-social work.

As a society, let’s show some respect for seniors/older adults as we will all be there one day.

I fear that this message will not hit home the way it should. Death and dying is a difficult issue at best, for us in the West, it is perhaps an impossible one to approach.