"You know that boomers are phasing out the word senior like senior citizens?"
"The word 'senior' makes her feel old. She's like, 'I don't want to be reminded of it!'"
"Old is a bad word in America. People will do anything they can to avoid being seen as old."
"Every day in America, 11,000 people turn 65. We're living longer, healther lives. I'm seeing growing momentum around embracing it. There's a real conversation happening about aging and how we talk about it."
Older adults increasingly reject the label 'senior' because it evokes feeling old and reinforces ageist attitudes. Many facilities and programs are being rebranded with lifestyle-oriented names, such as community centers, to better reflect active preferences. Resistance to the term stems from pervasive ageism that affects employment and healthcare. Some people embrace 'senior' when it highlights continued achievement, as seen at the National Senior Games where competitors like 91-year-old Flo Meiler and 95-year-old Joyce Jones perform at high levels. Demographic shifts, including about 11,000 Americans turning 65 daily, are driving evolving conversations about aging and terminology.
Read at TODAY.com
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