Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Sunday, February 28, 2016

What Does 75 Tell You

Close your eyes and pretend with me.  Visualize yourself as a doctor about to enter a treatment room where you will be meeting a new patient for the first time.  You see her birthday and know she is 75.  What does that tell you?  Think about that for a moment.

You could open the door to find a nursing home patient accompanied by a family member, a person of compromised mental capacity.

You could open the door and find a woman in a hurry because she's on her way to a League of Women Voters meeting and has other committee meetings to attend that day.

Why then do you suppose so much is assumed by knowing a person's age?  When do we become old?  In the current political campaign we have two candidates pushing 70 and one 75.  Is that old?

When children today hear the word 'grandmother' what picture forms in their mind?

Due to the advanced healthcare available today people are living longer and often in much better physical condition that ever before, but has the world's idea of old changed?

Have you experienced any discrimination because of your age? I can't say that I have.  Of course I've not tried looking for a job. I actually think I've had more positive than negative experiences being in the elder stage of life.

Would you like to see changes in the way people our age are viewed or are you happy just the way things are today?

8 comments:

  1. Toss the die, 75 can be vibrant, youthful, exciting - OR - dead. It's all a matter of lifestyle, genetics, or plain good/bad luck.

    I don't think people are paying attention to the candidates, no one even thinks about the fact that after the possibility of two terms, most of the contenders will be too old to handle the stress. I look at some of the candidates and I imagine Trump [for example] will have a heart attack or a stroke before too long, and that woman will be self medicating if she isn't already ... [Not exactly MY idea of reliable president material.]

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  2. Actually it's been OK for me. My daughter says servers and such usually give us more respect because of our age. Maybe they're expecting bigger tips?

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  3. I often have to remind myself I'm 70. It sounds old, but I don't feel old. I sometimes hear condescending comments about older people, but I can't recall any directed specifically at me. Ignorance is bliss! At exercise class this morning three of us "girls" were agreeing that it's important, at this stage of life, to stay active. I try to do that. My mother died two months short of 102. I don't want to live that long, though. I need to live long enough to use up my large yarn stash!

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  4. Today, I enjoy my 76 years. I get warm smiles from strangers, doors opened and great service in a restaurant. I flaunt my white hair with pride and use it shamelessly.

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  5. Having just turned 66, I continue to be astounded that I could possibly be this age. I thought 66 was old but now that I am 66 it is only a number, not the number 26, but not the number dead. I think aging is really a funny thing that defies expectations. It is never exactly what you thought it would be.

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  6. I have to remind myself of my age too, 71, and it is a bit of a shock to realize people see me as old when that is not how I feel most of the time.
    I have no issues with how I am treated so far.

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  7. I have to remind myself of my age too, 71, and it is a bit of a shock to realize people see me as old when that is not how I feel most of the time.
    I have no issues with how I am treated so far.

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  8. I heard that 70 was the new 35! How does that even make sense??

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