Fifty Plus (50+) - "Seniors" or something else?

I'm doing some consulting work with an organization that has historically been a "Multi-Purpose Senior Center." They are in the process of redefining who they are and who they serve (moving from serving those 65+ to those 50+). The board of directors has read the literature pointing toward a very real shift in the way people age, as evidenced on this forum on a daily basis. In any event, they are searching for words that appeal to their target population. Most of the studies we've found indicate the "Senior" is NOT the title many baby boomers want. Hence, I ask all of you, what is your preference? Currently, they are leaning toward "active mature adult".

That is an excellent question.

Words that need not be used: senior, mature (sorry), golden, active (sorry), over the hill, vintage.

Patronizing words won't cut it, either.

Joe Queenan wrote an entire book on this topic, entitled "Balsalmic Dreams". It was very funny. He would say, "Just call yourselves old people and get over it, dork". I don't agree with him, though.

Old poops.

This is a real dumb question. Why do they feel the need to age identify the center? Can't it just be a multi purpose center? Like Junction City Multi Purpose Center?

I prefer "old fart".

Currently, they are leaning toward "active mature adult".

I would agree with my friend Terrierman on this one, but if pressed for some sort of identifier, I would go with "adult".

This is a real dumb question. Why do they feel the need to age identify the center? Can't it just be a multi purpose center? Like Junction City Multi Purpose Center?


They exist in a highly competitive market compounded by the reality that only 25% of their funding comes from typical sources that normally fund "senior centers." They must find a way to strike an interesting balance. On one hand they serve older people who are becoming frail and need supports to remain functional and safe in the community. However, there are inadequate funds to maintain these operations. They have reliable demographic data that suggests the baby boomers have much more disposable income that they are willing to spend to pursue things in which they have an interest. However, the boomers don't want to be associated with the image of the frail older person who needs supports. At the same time, these boomers want to have access to services that remove them from the kind of experiences they might find in a fitness center (described by one respondent to a survey as the "meat market" mentality where young and buff are all that matter.) One of the only things they haven't been able to do is find a descriptive terms that sits well with the folks who may spend enough to actually subsidize other parts of their operations. These boomers have many choices in this particular market, and the attempt to appeal to them on a level that matches their view of themselves as they age is not dumb. Rather, I think it is a responsible approach to planning for the health of their organization. But, hey, I've been wrong about things before....

Olde Farte Multi-Purpose Centre...

Survivors

Grey-haired kids.

Have any of you seen these new hearing aids? Very cool! I bet this is just the beginning of re-invented "senior" aids for aging baby boomers. http://www.phonak.com/company/mediacenter/product_news.htm?id=42097&checksum=6C1749AB046667083D72E43BF68C753D

beyond prime

I hate being called a Senior, but I hate even more that I hate being called a Senior. What's the big deal? I'm older than I used to be. I'm an Old Fart, a geezer, a senior, a golden ager, you name it, and someone is going to call me that name. What really matters is how I look at myself. Sticks and stones and bike crashes can break my bones, but words (at least, these words) can never hurt me.

Call me whatever you want. But please don't call me late to dinner. :D

At 52, I certainly don't consider myself to be a senior adult.

That may have been a strong perception back when someone who was 52 only expected to live another 10-15 years. But now once you live to 52, odds are that you will live another 30 years (or more). Too much life still ahead of us to think of ourselves as seniors.

Frankly, I suspect a lot of 65 year olds aren't real keen on the term.

Never actually gave it a thought, but it's true that most people around 50 still think of themselves as fairly young, and with some reason. My dad was active all his life until a few weeks before he died at 83. But I remember when he turned 40, everyone including his doctor told him to take it easy, act his age, don't strain yourself. I ran my fastest marathon at 44, which shows you how that's changed, and improved on the bike every year from the time I started cycling seriously at 45 until last year, when some surgery kept me off the bike most of the summer (I'm 62 now).
I don't MIND being called a "senior," and I'll take senior discounts, but the term has connotations for a lot of people that just aren't accurate anymore. "Senior Center" sounds like a place where they spoon-feed geezers in wheelchairs.
The problem, though, is that EVERYTHING sounds like a euphemism: Mature, senior, aging, Golden Agers are all just annoying. I think of myself as "middle aged," I guess, but that's not accurate unless I'm going to live to be 124.

I can walk up steps without any problems. I can cut my 1/2 acre of grass without "riding" on a mower, if I choose. I can run almost as fast as I could when I was younger. I can throw a baseball quite well, thank you. I can lift and carry 50 pound bags of softener salt down steps to my basement. Blah, blah, blah.

^(I'm reminded of the "Seinfeld" character Mr. Mendelbaum. "Mendelbaum, Mendelbaum".):D^

I know many folks, much younger than me, who won't or can't walk from their cars to the fast food counter of a McGarbage restuarant, they rely on the drive up window.

I'll take any "senior" discounts they want to hand me, no problem. I enjoy the respect I seem to be getting these days. At age 64, I really don't care what they call me. If they call me a name that is less than politically correct for someone my age...I really don't care.

The joke is on them.

Hey, it's really, really important what you call yourself. Rule #1 in seizing political power is to take the lexical high ground. The best example is the feminist movement. Women, being generally more verbally adroit than men, were able to make incredible gains by seizing the lexical high ground. Therefore, a person who advocates on behalf of the rights of women is a "feminist," a generally positive term. By contrast, a person who advocates on behalf of the rights of men has no corresponding one-word description other than "sexist," a very negative term. Or the most compact alternative, "Male chauvinist." Yup, lexical high ground. Bet you guys never realized what hit ya.

In the abortion debate, since women were heavily involved on both sides, no one was able to seize the lexical high ground. It's "Pro-life" (generally a positive term) vs. "Pro-choice" (generally a positive term). You never, ever hear them refer to themselves as "anti-abortionist" or "pro-abortion." Only the other side tries to call them that.

Civil rights was an interesting area. Maybe it was early days for this concept. How did we get from "colored" to "negro" to "black?" Especially when "negro" is merely "black" in Spanish? And we've gone from abandonment of "colored" to adoption of "women of color." Yes, all politically-correct euphemism, but evidence of attempts to gain the lexical high ground.

Anyway, back to the grey power debate. I remember my first bike racing license, issued when I was 21, categorized me as a "Senior." I guess this was because the teenage riders were "Juniors." And the old-timers were "Veterans." So note how "Veteran" somehow became "Master." Strategic attempt to gain the lexical high ground?

In polite societies, where age is venerated, the elderly are referred to as ... Elders.

- L.

Grey-haired kids.

Have any of you seen these new hearing aids? Very cool! I bet this is just the beginning of re-invented "senior" aids for aging baby boomers. http://www.phonak.com/company/mediacenter/product_news.htm?id=42097&checksum=6C1749AB046667083D72E43BF68C753D


"…it comes with all the appeal of a must-have accessory…"

I think that just about sums it up (the same can be said about so much of modern life, unfortunately…)

:(

- Wil

Why not just call it what it is--a 50+ Activities & Learning Center, or 50+ Multi-Purpose center? This is a 50+ forum, and I'd bet most of us on here don't consider ourselves as "senior" (at 56 I don't), don't consider ourselves "mature"-more like overaged kids! But I would go to a 50+ Activities Center (or Activities and Learning Center, Multi-Purpose Center), and not feel patronized. While you're on word origins, does senior come from Spanish also, as senor (sorry not a Mac, so can't put the swirly thing over the n).

Vintage Center

We had this same debate when we named this forum.

50+ is totally descriptive without being perjorative, and is totally accurate (except for a few 50- folks who hang around!:D ). From the number of participants, it seems to have worked pretty well.

The 50+ Center

The 50+ Challenge Center?

Our church group calls itself the XYZ group. I don't think that one would be a winner in the market, though!:roflmao:

Pie Center

I've always* liked the word cronies, because in my imagination it comes from the word "chrono", so to me Cronie kind of means "Time Traveler".

If you spelled it Chronie, and you cut me a lot of slack...

The Early Alzheimers Kids.

Advanced Age Riding Partners.

Masters is a decent term, I think. For some reason it reminds me of Jack Nicholas.

"Seniors and Active Seniors" might appeal to both. I readily embrace the term senior, and, while I'm still kicking very hard, I also accept that I'll be tapering off a bit. I personally think the term "senior" carries some honor and status with it.

(others I considered: "pre-alzheimer-ers", "pie eating wizenheimers", "over-the-hill ..and-the-next-hill, and-the-one-after-that")

Senior's fine with me. My problem is that, like the 50+ forum, we're way too generous with who we allow to use it.

I don't think that anybody who is still in high school should be allowed to call themselves a "senior".

Masters is a decent term, I think. For some reason it reminds me of Jack Nicholas.

GEEZER ALERT!!!

GEEZER ALERT!!!

I agree with Freeranger and DnvrFox, 50+ is a good term. If this forurm were the "Senior Forum" I doubt I would have ever checked into it.

Which I guess is a pretty good reason to use the term Senior.

The Experienced.

Our local facility is called the "Older Persons Center". I could go there, but the people I've seen there are just plain different from me in some fundemental way and I just feel like I don't belong there. I'd also say that most of the people in this forum are more like me than like the typical OPC denizen. The men are mostly pot-bellied older men who like to sit around playing cards; going out to eat big & cheap meals at local restaurants; take bus tours; etc.

On the other hand, I really don't see myself as being any older -- except in years -- than guys that are 20 or more years younger. That's probably why it shocks me when I try to strike up a conversation with some other bikers and they look at me like they're talking to their fathers -- or grandfathers, maybe. You're never to old to be immature, so maybe that's what I am since I still enjoy so many of the same things that I have been enjoying most of my life: running, biking, learning, sex, and on and on!

Curmudgeon works for me. Doesn't really indicate age as much as a state of mind. You have to not be wet behind the ears or a young whippersnapper to be a curmudgeon - but it doesn't mean that you have one foot in the grave either.

Currently, they are leaning toward "active mature adult".

Why do you have to call us anything?...what about all those inactive, imature adults that are over 50?

At 57, I haven't been spending much time on this forum lately because I ride with people half my age, have very little in common with many people my age, think that two 60km technical singletrack rides per week is not enough as well as bike commuting 50km/day through downtown traffic

Next week I'm leading a ride for a team that's training for our 7 day Trans-Rockies race in August...apparently they need 1500' of climb training/day...we'll cool down on the XC singletrack

What does one do as an "active mature adult"?...as a headhunter, we use the word "mature" when we mean "old" as its against labour law to discriminate because of age...but we all know what it implies...that you're useless and unemployable

One of the problems with words like

"Senior"
"Mature"
"Elderly"

etc., is that they have no absolute meaning, only relative meaning.

To a 20 yo, folks 40 are "seniors" and 50 folks are "elderly."

To an 80 yo, "elderly" may mean 90.

I don't in any way consider myself "elderly," yet someone almost 68yo is considered quite old by others.

That is why I like absolute designations such as 50yo or 60yo. It eliminates the guesswork, and takes out the baggage.

Youth survivors?

Post-middle-agers?

Second halfers?

Or how about borrowing from the gorillas? Silverbacks!

What does one do as an "active mature adult"?...as a headhunter, we use the word "mature" when we mean "old" as its against labour law to discriminate because of age...but we all know what it implies...that you're useless and unemployable

Interesting. So, the discimination takes place despite the law? Yeah, I guess it does, and that's just why this organization is in such a fix. Until the general population gives up the bigotry of ageism, what they call it does has significance. I wish it didn't, but it sure seems that it does.

Interesting. So, the discimination takes place despite the law? Yeah, I guess it does, and that's just why this organization is in such a fix. Until the general population gives up the bigotry of ageism, what they call it does has significance. I wish it didn't, but it sure seems that it does.

I don't see that at all. The discrimination happens no matter what label is applied. To me, the softer names sound too much like they are avoiding some terrible truth. I'd rather hear a joking pseudo-insult than an insulting pseudo-nice name.

Anyway, our political clout will be coming without silly words. The sheer numbers of the ageing Baby Boom generation will provide way more political power than carefully avoiding straightforward language could ever hope to do.

What does one do as an "active mature adult"?...as a headhunter, we use the word "mature" when we mean "old" as its against labour law to discriminate because of age...but we all know what it implies...that you're useless and unemployable

When I found myself hunting a job at age 53 the young headhunter I talked to thought I might have a hard time finding a job and would probably have to take a salary cut. I decided I didn't want this young man helping me find a job and put a couple applications in with local companies myself. Thankfully some employers are still looking for mature people with skills and good work ethics. Within two weeks I landed a job with a salary increase, good benefits and negotiated a couple additional weeks of vacation above their regular offering. They also gave me 18 years credit in their company retirement plan. The young headheader called me a couple weeks later to say he hadn't been able to find anything for me and I informed him his services weren't required and that he wasn't looking in the right places:)

Individuals from Beyond...

beyond the expiration date...;)

Old and in the way...:eek:

My vote is for Active over-50s.
Senior implies retired, which many are not.
Mature as related to adult is superfluous in that one would assume an adult is mature (not always the case)

Quinquagenarians (http://fifty-is-nifty.tribe.net/?_click_path=Application%5Btribe%5D.Tribe%5B59fa2f45-3d9e-4ff8-852a-8cc6d1a518d5%5D) ??

But that excludes the really old folk...

That's it! Really old folk!! ROF for short...

Nah I think Fifty Plus pretty much says it.

You have reached the halfway point...the top of the hill...

Coots an' Crones...

I'd go for "Community Center for Adults (Under 50 not admitted)" :D

- down here it's "55+"

- but if the gal works out, it's called "sexy"!

:-)

(i'm amazed at the number of 'seniors' in my area - and even more amazed at the number that *don't* exercise or remain active... sad, really)

Thankfully some employers are still looking for mature people with skills and good work ethics.

+1
I am involved with older workers and helping them obtain employment. Lots of companies recognize the value of the older worker, and that number grows every day. Good for you that you were able to do what you did.

best if enjoyed by....?

Hey You! ususally gets my attention

This whole thread makes my point about trying age to identify the center being a problem. I STILL think the best bet is to be good at whatever it is they do and advertise that.