Paul Sassone

We’re supposed to celebrate.

Back in 1963, President John Kennedy proclaimed May as Senior Citizen Month. That title has since been changed to Older Americans Month. And May 18-25 is set aside for celebrating Seniors Week.

Not sure why the celebration.

Senior citizenship begins at 50, just the age when the boss starts to seriously contemplate firing you and hiring someone younger and cheaper to do your job.

And since most Americans can expect to live 78 years or so, they can figure on being a senior citizen for almost 30 years, many of those years as unemployable.

Celebrate that.

Only old age gets a month of its own. Why? How are we different at 50 than we are at 49?

OK, older people can’t do so many pushups. But we hold the same beliefs as we did when we were pre-seniors. I’m well over 50 and I still read the same authors, like the same movies and still never order bacon on pizza.

In essentials, I am the same person I was when I was 35. I just don’t see as well and take more pills.

So, what are the attitudes I should have, the activities I should do, the celebrating I should undertake as a senior citizen?

Why is there an assumption that all older people have the same interests and beliefs in common? We don’t assume that of 30-year-olds.

Are we supposed to celebrate the accomplishments of older people? I’m for that. But it seems to me that society doesn’t expect accomplishments from older people. If society did value the elderly it wouldn’t take away their jobs or withdraw respect.

So, I don’t get excited about such things as Older Americans Month.

Older people should be judged as and treated as people of every age are.

Don’t celebrate or honor senior citizens one month out of the year.

Honor, respect and celebration should be daily toward all people of all ages.

–Why does old age get its own month?–