Baby Boomers Unite!
Let’s demand, as we did when we started the “revolution” more rights, more inclusions and more recognition as we go forward into needing the support of society.
What has happened to us? We were so vocal about issues and causes.
We still raise our voices and many of us are actively involved in change, but as a whole, our voices are much quieter and raised more singularly than when we were in our teens and twenties.
There are, of course, exceptions and their aging faces and graying hair are visible (ladies tend to cover that feature more than men although those products have greatly grown in popularity with the "graying" of America) and seen even on LinkedIn.
What's needed is to ensure that when our bodies become more limited through the passage of time, when we are more limited to where we can go and even where we can live, society doesn't see this as "the end" and treat us as though we barely exist.
Long ago we realized people can work from home, they can commute across time and place and work far into decades that were previously considered "mandated retirement".
The tools we have and the opportunities we're given result in what we can and will do.
It's no different for the aging and the aged than it is for our youth.
I admit, I wasn't a picketer and didn't carry signs or write messages and distribute them when I was younger (that came along much later in life). I was more of a conformist working behind the scenes for change in society.
Let's get our communities and the Senior Centers and Senior Organizations to recognize our talents, abilities and contributions still viable and vital to society and to ensure this message is delivered and distributed to all ages and stages of life.
Let's "reactivate" and find our voices and raise them for our brothers and sisters, some of whom are our age and others who are from the generations before us.
We have precious abilities only time can teach and experience can "hone" -- yes, we're like a great tool and like that tool, keeping us "sharp" and "in repair" benefits our habitat, our surroundings, life itself.
LET'S NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT.
This means: Please realize many of us are NOT INTO Bingo, board games or puzzles. If you're going to offer computer technology, recognize there are many of us far ahead of the "beginner" or even "familiar and interested in learning more" stages.
We want to learn specific programs to create and to stimulate; our brains need the exercise and expansion and not to just duplicate what we've known and done for years on end or have no interest in learning or participating in.
We need mind stimulation. We are, after all, the first largest demongraphic group where college education became "the norm" for a large percentage of high school graduates.
Our generation was in high school when man landed on the moon. We had parents who were scientists and teachers and other professionals who steered us on paths involving science, math, engineering, business. And even if they only graduated from eighth grade, they had open minds, loved to learn and were our examples of dedication and perseverance.
We Did Overcome -- to some degree:
We were told men were wanted in various positions but it was our generation that fought and won and got that high heeled foot and body into the doors -- sometimes later than others -- of major corporations and into the C Suite.
The Pill changed our lives. Our focuses on growing ourselves as well as our families and supporting our husband and his job changed society as a whole. And he didn't have to worry about so many mouths to feed as his father before him; but then he didn't need those hands, either, to work the land or help to feed the family.
We were born into a world of "separate but equal" and we opened the doors and windows for future generations to walk through and see through.
What has happened to us? We were so vocal about issues and causes.
We still raise our voices and many of us are actively involved in change, but as a whole, our voices are much quieter and raised more singularly than when we were in our teens and twenties.
There are, of course, exceptions and their aging faces and graying hair are visible (ladies tend to cover that feature more than men although those products have greatly grown in popularity with the "graying" of America) and seen even on LinkedIn.
What's needed is to ensure that when our bodies become more limited through the passage of time, when we are more limited to where we can go and even where we can live, society doesn't see this as "the end" and treat us as though we barely exist.
Long ago we realized people can work from home, they can commute across time and place and work far into decades that were previously considered "mandated retirement".
The tools we have and the opportunities we're given result in what we can and will do.
It's no different for the aging and the aged than it is for our youth.
I admit, I wasn't a picketer and didn't carry signs or write messages and distribute them when I was younger (that came along much later in life). I was more of a conformist working behind the scenes for change in society.
Let's get our communities and the Senior Centers and Senior Organizations to recognize our talents, abilities and contributions still viable and vital to society and to ensure this message is delivered and distributed to all ages and stages of life.
Let's "reactivate" and find our voices and raise them for our brothers and sisters, some of whom are our age and others who are from the generations before us.
We have precious abilities only time can teach and experience can "hone" -- yes, we're like a great tool and like that tool, keeping us "sharp" and "in repair" benefits our habitat, our surroundings, life itself.
LET'S NOT GO QUIETLY INTO THE NIGHT.
This means: Please realize many of us are NOT INTO Bingo, board games or puzzles. If you're going to offer computer technology, recognize there are many of us far ahead of the "beginner" or even "familiar and interested in learning more" stages.
We want to learn specific programs to create and to stimulate; our brains need the exercise and expansion and not to just duplicate what we've known and done for years on end or have no interest in learning or participating in.
We need mind stimulation. We are, after all, the first largest demongraphic group where college education became "the norm" for a large percentage of high school graduates.
Our generation was in high school when man landed on the moon. We had parents who were scientists and teachers and other professionals who steered us on paths involving science, math, engineering, business. And even if they only graduated from eighth grade, they had open minds, loved to learn and were our examples of dedication and perseverance.
We Did Overcome -- to some degree:
We were told men were wanted in various positions but it was our generation that fought and won and got that high heeled foot and body into the doors -- sometimes later than others -- of major corporations and into the C Suite.
The Pill changed our lives. Our focuses on growing ourselves as well as our families and supporting our husband and his job changed society as a whole. And he didn't have to worry about so many mouths to feed as his father before him; but then he didn't need those hands, either, to work the land or help to feed the family.
We were born into a world of "separate but equal" and we opened the doors and windows for future generations to walk through and see through.
WAKE UP AMERICA: You
wait for us to come to you. You offer us centers with “activities” ranging from
Bingo to cards and maybe some “dancing” – which for many of us is a turn away
because we lost our spouse and don’t feel like joining the “stag line” as we
did in our teens waiting and hoping for someone to ask us to dance.
You plan all activities during the day as though we have
nothing to do with our time and that’s the only time we can or will attend. And, what about weekends?
I guess you see "other groups" as occupying our time: church, grandchildren and family, educational opportunities through a myriad of places: library, local colleges and even on line. All obtainable by reaching out, taking that first step and, quite honestly, wanting to stay within a basic "safety zone".
And then there are those of us like so many I've met in these last few weeks who are "still working" because where we worked and for whom we worked didn't provide a pension, didn't have "retirement programs" or who have found life circumstances of medical or other debt from the huge economic challenges we've faced every decade since the 1970's have eaten away and basically destroyed "our golden years".
What's puzzling is how we manage to compete, to stand resolute and to continue to make our own way when:
I guess you see "other groups" as occupying our time: church, grandchildren and family, educational opportunities through a myriad of places: library, local colleges and even on line. All obtainable by reaching out, taking that first step and, quite honestly, wanting to stay within a basic "safety zone".
And then there are those of us like so many I've met in these last few weeks who are "still working" because where we worked and for whom we worked didn't provide a pension, didn't have "retirement programs" or who have found life circumstances of medical or other debt from the huge economic challenges we've faced every decade since the 1970's have eaten away and basically destroyed "our golden years".
What's puzzling is how we manage to compete, to stand resolute and to continue to make our own way when:
- You “put us out to pasture” long before we’re ready and long before we want.
- You categorize us as not being capable of learning, adjusting, being tech saavy; we can run rings around you given the exposure and the disposable income of those younger and we do when we have those abilities.
Why? Because we have the experience, a higher level of
judgment and a knowledge beyond many, those of us who have successfully
weathered storms and made decisions others face and “hope and pray” no one will
realize they are making a decision based on trial and error.
CHARACTERIZATION. Focus on the weaknesses and that's what you see.
Yes, there are those in the 50+ range -- that's the range "Senior" organizations like AARP and OASIS start at, or the 60+ which encompasses the State Run Senior Centers, who are vibrant, active, many still working full time jobs and even more in part time and highly responsible volunteer positions. There are those with limitations -- but not always the limitations the most vocal in our society want us to believe and see a specific, and only one specific, way.
LIMITATIONS. Society starts culling around the age of 40 now.
What's concerning is my daughter's generation, the Millennials, are having such difficulty getting jobs that by the time they're just getting to be "ripe" and "seasoned" in the outside world, it will be their time to be "put out to pasture".
Guess we should be glad we're in the United States and not in Spain where the outlook for the Millenial generation is even bleaker at 55% of the population of this age group unemployed.
SCARY! If the young are unemployed and underemployed what does this say for the future and for the "next" generation coming up the ladder?
CHARACTERIZATION. Focus on the weaknesses and that's what you see.
Yes, there are those in the 50+ range -- that's the range "Senior" organizations like AARP and OASIS start at, or the 60+ which encompasses the State Run Senior Centers, who are vibrant, active, many still working full time jobs and even more in part time and highly responsible volunteer positions. There are those with limitations -- but not always the limitations the most vocal in our society want us to believe and see a specific, and only one specific, way.
LIMITATIONS. Society starts culling around the age of 40 now.
What's concerning is my daughter's generation, the Millennials, are having such difficulty getting jobs that by the time they're just getting to be "ripe" and "seasoned" in the outside world, it will be their time to be "put out to pasture".
Guess we should be glad we're in the United States and not in Spain where the outlook for the Millenial generation is even bleaker at 55% of the population of this age group unemployed.
SCARY! If the young are unemployed and underemployed what does this say for the future and for the "next" generation coming up the ladder?
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