SAN DIEGO — As people get older, many try to slow the signs of aging. Some may poke fun at getting old.
While it may seem harmless it can be hurtful for anyone getting older whether it be in the workplace or with family or friends.
Greeting cards filled with jokes about age or the eye roll response after hearing an older person’s way of thinking, or phrases like 'OK Boomer,’ may be funny but advocates for seniors said the prejudice is not a laughing matter.
Wrinkles may be a sign of aging, but 67-year-old Cheri Murrell sees them as a sign of a life well lived.
“‘Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been,’ a Mark Twain quote,” said Murrell.
Murrell, a retired teacher, was making Valentine’s cards for seniors.
“Just getting older you lose so much. I used to be a heavy-duty weightlifter, I could lift anything and now I do have no grip. It’s like what the heck, what’s going on here. I can’t pick up anything I can’t, or you hurt something. It’s just it’s just a series of losses as you get older,” said Murrell.
That loss can also be felt when people make fun of those forgetful moments.
“Most of the aging population adults understand that ‘oh, shoot, I don’t remember things the way that I used to.' So they don’t need people poking back at them to remind them of that,” said Melanie Delgado.
She is the president and owner of Right At Home San Diego, a resource that offers companionship for seniors.
“Not everybody deserves to be put in a little box and say, 'oh, well, you’re just you’re aging, you can’t do this any longer,'” said Delgado.
Seniors may not remember everything, but their minds are still sharp.
“They are senior citizens, they’re not children, so don’t talk to them, like they are children,” said Delgado.
The World Health Organization says more than half the world’s population are ageist against older people, this can also be seen in the workplace. That’s why age is included in Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs.
Rather than dismissing, Delgado says older people should be encouraged to take classes and to also be physically active.
“Our bodies are fit for purpose, and we were made to move,” said Delgado. “We try to encourage all of our clients to get up and be mobile as much as possible.”
Independence can also be felt as a loss. Delgado says the more we do for seniors the more they may decline.
Be cognizant of not only what you do but what you say and remember the circle of life.
“We need to understand that all of these folks that you see that you might want to have a bias about, at some point you’re going to age, and do you really want people to have that same bias towards you,” said Delgado.
The simplest gesture that can have a big impact on seniors is saying, “hello”.
The next time you see someone older, wave or smile, many seniors said it helps them feel seen.
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