I’m an 18-year-old soon to be 19 reader who has just stumbled upon this blog! I’m currently working at a retirement village and I feel like there is a lot that our generation is missing. It used to be easy for older generations to pass on their wisdom, and I agree that this has a lot to do with a lack of respect for opinions and for older people in general. Young people just don’t have the time or inclination to sit down and listen to someone who (I don’t know why we’d be surprised) has more experience in the world than us!
My Generation is Missing an Opportunity by Maddy
January 16, 2015 by ElderChicks
8 Responses
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Maddy it is great that you recognize that seniors have great living experience and words of wisdom to give to the younger generations.
Largely though, elders are ignored; not by everyone but generally speaking. I am happy to say my youngest son (of 2) at age 36 still calls on us for our experience, while the other will sometmes do so.
Good for you that you work in care. Aging is not always done gracefully. It takes effort.
And the same is true in the other side. Many of my Life’s Third Trimester members would like more intergenerational contact. I myself have found it to be a mixed bag. Sometimes the connections are good sometimes the younger people just don’t relate.
Bravo Maddy! My compliments to your parents. Apparently you were raised well to have respect for your elders and are a caring young lady. I think it is very important to have contact with people of all ages as something is to be gained by all interaction. Unfortunately, some young people are on such a “fast track” that they have no time for other than their peers.
I will have to echo the bravo, Maddy. I can certainly remember growing up with my grandparents around. In fact, they lived with us for some of the time while I was growing up. I can see that many younger people do not appreciate the opportunity to seek to know older people. That is a shame. Good for you. I am sure that working at a retirement village will be an interesting experience for you. Older people are much the same as younger ones, however. Some are great, some are nasty. Some complain, some don’t. I think it might be a mistake to think that all older people have a wisdom to pass on, even if many do have that wisdom. Friendships are wonderful, and intergenerational ones can be even more so.
Maddy, you’re a shining role model for your generation! A non-profit organization that involved many young people with elders can be found at http://www.thebestdayofmylife.org. You might want to investigate starting the program with people at the retirement village where you work.
Unfortunately, what I see is that parents today keep their kids soooo busy that they have little time to interact with anyone other than other kids and maybe Grandpa and Grandma. There is no leisure in the life of kids and parents today. When I was young, we used to go visit Grandpa and Grandma every Sunday and spend time with Aunts and Uncles. That doesn’t seem to happen much anymore.
Thanks Thelma + Elderchicks for always spreading the word about us! Maddy, I am the founder of The Best Day of My Life So Far and we’re always on the lookout for amazing young people like you to help us open up seniors’ voices and reach out to other young people to listen. Drop me a note if you’d like to chat or get involved. We have a fun and powerful solution to the problems you notice and would love for you to be a part of the solution! benita@bestdayofmylifesofar.org
I am a Hospice Volunteer and love to hear the life stories, memories and escapades of the elderly for whom I companion care. One lady used to sit on her front porch and jam with Willie Nelson (quite the little partier!), another lady’s father had the first cotton gin in their area, one a songwriter for a famous singer – there’s so much to enjoy by simply visiting and talking.