Tips on How to Speak and Write about Seniors
According to 50 Plus Magazine, adults from the age of 60 years to 90 years and older fall under three broad categories:
1. Baby Boomers: The first wave turned 60 January 1, 2006.
2. The Middle Group: they are older than baby boomers, but not yet seniors.
3. Seniors: older than the middle group.
Baby Boomers should never be referred to as “seniors.” Boomers are poised to shun the label “senior citizen,” that awaits them. Talk to baby boomers as if they were still 30 or 40.
Those between Boomers and Seniors
Many in this group are recently retired. Some are grandparents.
Seniors
Most in this age group grew up in the Great Depression. This group likes personal attention whenever possible and being treated with respect.
Society is starting to get away from how we define age because people don’t identify with age as much as they do with values. Whether it is an estate-planning company’s commercial that has the Rolling Stones playing in the background, or a bank’s retirement brochure showing a grandpa or grandma spending quality time with their grandkids, they’re focusing on values.
AARP offers three versions of its inside content, aimed at different aged groups: those 50-59, 60-69, and 70 and older. Marketers are realizing baby boomers will be a very different wave of seniors, compared to their parents, says Jim McCabe of Arizona State University West.
Accepted Terms
Mature or Maturing adults
Seniors
Senior Citizen
Unaccepted Terms
Elderly (implies frail and infirm)
Old or Oldies
Any connotation with old as the prefix; old lady, etc.
People Inc.’s Senior Housing staffs offers the following advice.
How not to talk to seniors:
• Talking to seniors very slowly, as if you are talking to a child. This comes across as very condescending.
• Do not ever use the term old, older, oldies, or any connotation that has ‘ld’ in it.
How to talk to seniors:
• Just talk to them as you would talk to anyone else.
• Keep good eye contact and give them your full attention, so they know you are taking them seriously and listening to what they have to say.
• If a senior is hard-of-hearing they will probably speak louder on the phone or ask you to repeat whatever it is you just said.
• People Inc. usually refers to the individuals that live in their Senior Housing locations as tenants or seniors.
• The best thing you can do is get to know a group of seniors. You will become more familiar with specific terms and acceptable words that seniors or Baby Boomers prefer to use among themselves.
Bibliography Sources:
People Inc. Senior Housing Staff
“Don’t call ‘em elderly; active adults shun labels.”
Connie Cone Sexton
The Arizona Republic newspaper
November 12, 2005
AZ Central.com
www.azcentral.com/specials/special42/articles/1112agenames.html
"What do you know? We’re a Demographic!"
Linda Meyers, freelance writer
July 18, 2006
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