Quick! Finish this sentence with the first words that come to you: Elderly people _______________________. Did you make a positive statement? Then good for you; you haven’t bought into the stereotypes of this youth-obsessed society! Or perhaps it’s just that you’re a “senior citizen” like me who chafes at the persistently negative images of older people presented in the mass media.
To judge by television commercials, the minute we turn 65, we are all heading for that long decline into dementia, frailty, and, ultimately, the nursing home. And then there are those ubiquitous mailings that show up almost weekly in our mailboxes – the ones offering great discounts on hearing aids or walk-in bathtubs.
Of course, the reality is that we do undergo age-related changes, and many elderly people do require some kind of help. What’s also true is that aging is not the same for everyone and to characterize a whole group of people being exactly the same is grossly unfair. Something I recall from my gerontology classes is the older the age cohort, the wider the variability among individuals in that cohort. A group of 15-year-olds is much more alike than a group of 80-year-olds.
The current trend of dismissing the elderly as irrelevant does a great disservice not only to the elderly but also to society as a whole, which is deprived of the richness of experience and wisdom born of living many years on the planet. Wisdom, of course, is not automatically conferred with the passing of the years but even those not particularly wise older people have a wealth of practical experience and insights to offer.
And then there are those who have been dubbed “the extraordinary old,” the ones who retain their curiosity, zest for new experiences and joie de vivre. You probably know one or two, or perhaps you are one. These people are real treasures and are likely to possess wisdom along with their other traits. I like to think of them as true elders, the wisdom-deepers and storytellers of our world.
So, how can our faith communities best serve their older congregants and work to dispel the harmful myths surrounding old age? Many of them offer specific programs for older people which serve their purpose but still tend to separate them from other generations.
What we must do (and I’m sure some are already doing it) is strive to see ourselves as a family in which every generation is valued, in which older people are fully integrated into the life of the community and intergenerational activities are encouraged.
Public perception of the elderly can and will change. May we hasten the day when the finish to the sentence asked at the beginning of this column will be “Elderly people rock!”
Nancy Flood-Golembeck is a retired teacher and longtime member of the Baha’i Faith. In addition to serving on the local Baha’i governing body, she is currently writing a memoir.
This article appears in May 15-21, 2025.
