I'm Doing Away with the Word SENIOR

I was asked recently to do a workshop that would attract residents from the local senior living facility. I told the sponsor that I have 70 year old clients who could kick her ass and wanted to know if those were the people she intended to target?

The conversation got interesting quickly.

Once you sail past the numbers game, it's very difficult to characterize what makes a senior a senior. I can name several examples in my own client cohort that would stun you with their accomplishments in every aspect of life. They are mentors to younger colleagues, grandparents, yogis, writers, singers, travelers, lecturers, professionals, tradespeople, farmers, etc. engaging in activities that continue to contribute to what matters to them.

While they express themselves uniquely, they all have one thing in common: they interact intergenerationally. Perhaps this is the true accomplishment of gaining wisdom. We can start to see ourselves as a flowing force of interconnection both in our inner lives and within our communities. I notice that when people retire, they often redefine themselves based on meaning and not leisure. Meaning generally includes a sense of legacy which invites multiple generations to the table.

If my client cohort is any indicator, anything labeled SENIOR is a turn-off: it's just not relevant to who they are. What characterizes them is curiosity, risk, talent, personality, grit, and relationship. Nothing about numbers.

So I asked the sponsor to get more granular about who she was trying to serve. She expressed a desire to support people who need more connection and who fear yoga because of pre-existing health conditions. Was age a factor? For some. But what matters more is offering support to anyone struggling with pain and isolation.

My hope is that the workshop attracts a diverse group of people coming together for fellowship, relief and YOGA. What do we call these people?

FRIENDS....