The three words elderly, aging, and senior create, in my eyes, separation, limitation, and exclusion amongst people. These particular words that are often used too loosely are used to label people of a certain age, 50+, as members of a debilitating category known as the “aging population or the elder” which causes these people to be stereotyped for attributes that are exclusively related to age. Now, the word I use to describe and empower us, those that are more than fifty-five years of age, is wise. This word connotes wisdom, power, traditions, experiences, historical vision, and longevity. I believe that this group which I have come to describe as “The Wise” is a category or bracket that is changing the world through its accumulated knowledge and experience, yet our power often goes unnoticed. This is why I want to start a conversation to shift the way, we as a society, talk down upon the “elder” we are wise and that is our new standard.
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