Senior Seniority

Not only do we wonder what some people do, we also wonder what to call them, particularly those who have been around for quite some time.

So, what should we call people who are over 60 or so? Senior Magazine wrestled with this some time ago. Carlos Van Leer suggested “Seasoned Citizens.” Vincent W. Gillen preferred “Emeritan.” Not too bad. But what if I said I work with Emeritans? Couldn’t that sound like I work with “Samaritans?” Let’s move on.

How about “Mature Americans?” “Silver Citizens?” “Prime Generation.” Or “Half Centurions?” “Over Fifties” or “L-raisers?” L means fifty in Roman numerals. Can’t you imagine someone announcing that he works with L-raisers.

Earlier retirement communities were called “Old People’s Homes” but not so much any more. Older folk in the Old Testament were called elders (which has a rather nice sound) and a maturing Paul wrote a fledgling Titus to “teach older men to be temperate” and “older women to be reverent.”

So what do we call an aging population today? Senior magazine didn’t know and suggested that we find a term that sounds acceptable. So let’s give it a try.

Since I can’t find an ideal term either, let me give you a few synonyms and maybe you can pick out a suitable expression: ancient, obsolete, prehistoric, antiquated, bygone, old-fashioned, obsolete, venerable, pristine, immemorial, antediluvian, hoary (yikes), time-honored, superannuated, time-worn (oh oh), patriarchal/matriarchal, olden, remote, graying, decrepit, aged, sedate . . .

But then, what do we call youth? New, novices, modern, up-to-date, green, blooming, juvenile, puerile , spring chicken, yonker, (yonker was in my Thesaurus but not in Webster), youngster?

Years ago I struggled with this while working for a retirement community. Pushing it a bit further, should we call those who have reached one hundred years Centurions? Not if they dislike the nuance warrior, a Roman commander of one hundred soldiers.

Maybe “Senior Citizen” isn’t too bad. Maybe Senior Moments can convey ancient, antiquated, old-fashion, bygone moments as well as venerable, time-honored, patriarchal, earnest, serious moments. If so, maybe we should keep the title as is. Even if I am not yet one hundred years old and have been penning these for many years on a variety of topics, I haven’t quite run out of moments . . . Not yet, anyway.

Note: This is adapted from a column I wrote over twenty years ago as a Chaplain in a Retirement Community.