Friday, March 23, 2018

NAME FOR VIBRANT OVER 65ers



                    A Word Nerd’s Quest to Find Words that Define Us

                                       By

                                Howard Richler

Over fifteen years ago when I was a mere stripling of 54, I met a woman I hadn’t seen in over two years at a dog run. I mentioned obliquely that I was in a relationship, and in some context referred to “my partner.”  She loudly responded, “You’re gay!,” as several onlookers and two Dobermans eyed me malevolently.  I hastily explained to her that I had not “switched teams” (not that there’s anything wrong with that) and that the aforementioned “partner” was indeed a lady. She instructed me, “Howard. only gays have partners. She’s your girlfriend.”

While I was aware that the term “partner” has been somewhat expropriated by the gay community, as a member of the half century club I had a difficult time referring to someone more or less of my vintage as my “girlfriend.”  It was too sophomoric-sounding.  So, although  the English language has innumerable ways of expressing many words,  it lacked even one suitable word to  describe those partaking in a  “mature” relationship. Other languages have paid more attention to this  nomenclature dilemma. For example, in German, lebenspartner refers to “life partner” ; if you have adequate breath,    you can  jocularly refer to your beloved as lebensabschnittspartner (“lap,” for short) which  adds  abschnitt “section” to the equation, an oxymoronic temporary life partner. Interestingly, the French language which at  times been averse to anglicisms, has in Quebec solved this nomenclature  conundrum somewhat by the importation of an  English word. The term chum  has been in circulation in Quebecois French for many decades to refer to ones’ love interest. However, there is no indication that  a proper English term  for this designation is  likely to emerge and I have given up hope of one surfacing.

Having succumbed to using the term “partner”  fast forward fifteen  years : now that I am 69, I have shifted my word obsession and am looking for a definitive term to describe those, like myself and my “partner” who are over 65 but aren’t elderly. Personally, I don’t want  to be  designated as elderly or as a senior citizen. The former term to me connotes someone whose physical disabilities necessitate extensive care; the latter term  suggests a retired person who lives on  a pension in a senior home, goes to senior centres  and is sedentary by nature .While previously  these terms may have been apt for someone over 65, times  have changed. After all, our increased life expectancy is staggering, and it has been calculated that by the year 2030 in many countries life expectancy will exceed 85. Probably largely due to better health care, research shows that reaching an age of 65 for most people doesn’t mark a decline in performance. Also, statistics show that people over 65 contribute approximately 20% of consumer spending and within two decades this amount is expected to increase 25%.  Whereas in 2000 only 12.8%  of people over 65 were in the workforce by 2016 this figure had climbed to 18.8%

Research suggests that the public largely associates the aging process with decline and deterioration  and doesn’t comprehend that many older folks  don’t feel particularly different from their  younger self. A case in point is a  recent study conducted by AARP Inc (American Association of Retired Persons).  They asked   a group of millennials to reveal the age they considered to be old; this averaged out to be 59. Then they introduced the same group to some people 60 years and older. A video shows how the millennials changed their perception after interacting with vibrant members of the older generation and in the process relinquished their outdated beliefs that aging always involves perceptible decline.

Given the proven case for those in their sixties being far more active in many ways than previous generations,  we must find a more dynamic term for folks over 65 other than elderly or senior.

Here are some candidates:

a)boomers
b)geriactives
c)honoured elders
d)nightcappers
e)silvers
f)sunsetters
g)the wise

Another alternative is to create an acronym to describe the group and here are some options:

1)nyppies   (not yet past it)
2)owls    (older, working less)   or older, wiser, learning
3)hopskis  (healthy old people spending kids’ inheritance.

What we call an age group might seem unimportant but often the words we use to classify a segment of society affects people’s attitudes toward the group. Some examples here are flight attendant instead of stewardess, personal assistant  rather than secretary, extermination engineer instead of pest controller, and fitness trainers are rather more  upscale from than health-club staff.

So given the rising importance of the over 65s and the lack of an accepted modern term to describe this stage of life, if you have a preferred word from the list above or a different suggestion entirely, please send it to me at the address below. I look forward  to receiving ideas on how to solve my current word dilemma.


Richler’s latest book is Wordplay: Arranged and Deranged Wit

No comments:

Post a Comment