In launching this new blog, I wanted my focus to be aging
and how we can continue “onwards” in the best possible ways.
At work, the letters on my office door read ‘Senior Resident
Service Coordinator.’ I’m not too fond of ‘senior’ but it’s used much of the
time to refer to older people. I prefer ‘older adults’ if I must put a label on
us. Better yet, just call me a 62-year-old woman if you must.
A favorite blog of mine, The New Old Age (recently ended by the New York Times), had
a nice post a couple of years ago called ‘Elderly’ No More. Judith Graham questioned the head of a marketing firm about what
exactly should we call those who are age 65 years and older. The reply, “For
heavens’ sake, don’t call them anything.” However, most other aging experts
Graham quoted settled on “older persons.”
So, my plan is write about what I am
learning about aging, both from a personal and professional perspective. While
we continue to be hit over the head with story after story about dementia or
when to claim Social Security benefits, I hope to bring a new take on some
aspects of “onwarding.”