Boomer Myths and Misconcpetions Blog

Context Is Everything

For a couple decades, I have railed against terms like, elderly, senior citizen, and especially geezer when referring to older adults. Well, tonight I received an email from the father of the man who saved my life in Viet Nam. The email was entitled, Proud to be a Geezer! In this context, I have no problem with the term and think it is a pretty good descriptor of later life values - expecially when the world view is shared by a member of what Tom Brokaw called the Greatest Generation. In tribute to my dear friend, Frank Vavrin, I share his message:

"Geezers" (slang for an old man) are easy to spot:
At sporting events, during the playing of the National Anthem, Old Geezers remove their caps and stand at attention and sing without embarrassment. They know the words and believe in them

Old Geezers remember the Depression, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal,Normandy and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War 1950-53-55, The Cold War, the jet age, and the moon landing, the 50 plus Peacekeeping Missions from 1945 to 2005, the Jet Age and the Moon Landing, not to mention Vietnam.

If you bump into an Old Geezer on the sidewalk, he will apologize.

If you pass an Old Geezer on the street, he will nod or tip his cap to a lady.
Old Geezers trust strangers and are courtly to women.

Old Geezers hold the door for the next person and always, when walking, make certain the lady is on the inside for protection.

Old Geezers get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children and they don't like any filth on TV or in movies.
Old Geezers have moral courage. They seldom brag unless it's about their grandchildren.

It's the Old Geezers who know our great country is protected, not by politicians or police, but by the young men and women in the military serving their country.

This country needs Old Geezers with their decent values.

We need them now more than ever!
Thank God for Old Geezers!

Opening Conversations on Negative Stereotypes

                          When I first heard about the research behind YackPack,www.yackpack.com , I was intrigued that someone was focusing on the importance of emotion in building and growing positive relationships that simply isn't possible with email. I also thought this might be the technonogy that could be used to open a conversation about how to counter stereotpyes by creating groups of active, involved, knowledgeable older adults who are sick and tired of being portrayed as greedy, unproductive, and foolish drains on society,. I hope this will become one of the key tools used by those who are committed to changing the way we view later life and those qualified to enjoy it.

For awhile I was encouraged that times were changing as the national news media began carrying stories of the Baby Boom, until it hit me that in doing so they continue to ignore the millions of adults already beyond age 60 who are still intelligent, contributing, tax paying members of society who are driving much of the positive change; not the Boomers who are mostly still building careers, educating children and supporting familes. The first boomer will turn 60 January 1, 200t - not all 76 million as news stories would lead you to believe. "Boomers are turning 60 and reinventing retirement communities" a recent news story touted. In fact, most boomers want nothing to do with anything labelled retirement, senior etc...as do most current "seniors" still residing in homes of their own choosing and giving back to their communities.

Creating a YackPack of like minded adults to open and grow the conversation and encourage others to openly attack any business or organization openly perpetuating aging stereotypes by withholding their business while vocalizing their disgust and disappointment. Unlike email, a yackpack allows us to share emotions in our own voice with those we choose to invite into our groups. Right now the service is free for anyone wanting to connect with friends, fellow advocates, family member etc. As the use of yackpacks continue to grow, it will be interesting to view the age and interests of those setting up these focused, on-line, invitation only grooups of kindred spirits. I can ony hope that, like the population of the US, a majority will be older adults - and I further hope many will become evangelists preaching the gospel of positive aging.

Years ago a mentor told me there was only one thing I needed to remember in reaching out to and serving older adults - "Older people know more about being young; than the young know about being old." From what I've seen lately, there are a good deal of younger self-styled baby boom consultants who think they invented aging that should heed this advice. While there are many more of them and their life experiences are different than the generations ahead of them, the values that will serve baby boomers in life's second half are the same as those that served their parents...it is the attitudes and stereotypes that need changing...not a re-invention but a retiring of retirement is what is needed.