Photo by Alex Harvey ???????? on Unsplash
Today is National Senior Citizen’s Day!
Every year around this time, I post that statement.
It’s true. This Day, which came into existence in August 1988, was established by President Ronald Reagan’s Proclamation 5847 to “recognize and show appreciation for the value and contribution of elderly people to home, family and society.”
Announcement of this day shows up on calendars and last-page news stories every year on August 21st.
But, showing up on our calendars is all that happens!
I don’t know what my expectations are about this day, but I guess I have some. Do I think we should receive cards, flowers, or other gifts because we’ve made it this far? Not when my biggest complaint about Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and Grandparent’s Day is the commercialization without sincere sentiment.
Perhaps senior citizens are recognized on this date in some communities across the US, but I’ve never heard of such events.
Whether something happens or not — nationally or in my neighborhood — I can’t let it go by without at least mentioning it — seniors being the subject of this blog and all! But I get tired of rehashing the details of how it came to be without any news of ways it is being recognized or celebrated. One year I even suggested things to do to acknowledge elders but … nothing!
This day, which commemorates the elderly in our country, was undoubtedly established by a senior citizen. I mean, can you picture some 40-year-old executive or a 20-year-old grandchild thinking, “Hey, we need to establish a day acknowledging our elder community members.”? And let’s make that day in August when more vacationers are on the road and it’s the slow-moving elders who are keeping us from zipping along on the freeway to our destinations of fun in the sun, so we’re a little impatient with them right now! [That last sentence is just to see if you’re paying attention!]
Anyway, I’d love your thoughts about what National Senior Citizens’ Day means to you, if anything, and how you would like to see it celebrated.
Today Senior Citizens Day 2018 comes and goes.
Perhaps I shouldn’t care, but let’s love it, lionize it, or lose it!
Wow, I didn’t know there was a senior citizens day. Well, if I did know I forgot, conveniently. I actually don’t often think of myself as a senior citizen. But by most definitions I am one. It depends on whether you consider 55, 60 or 65 senior citizen I’ve been one for a while at the very least five years making me 70. Sometimes, when I meet people, they asked me what I do, when I tell them I do elder care. They laugh at me, thinking I’m kidding.
The question was posed, how would I like to see senior citizen day celebrated. I suppose the 50s dance party would be kind of fun, but then there’s the question of what can we eat, and what can we drink. I’m sure whoever’s putting this party on doesn’t want to see a bunch of drunk senior citizens having fun and dancing to the tunes of the 50s. I would get a kick out of it. We could all wear saddle shoes and poodle skirts and dance to the twist. I suspect most wouldn’t be twisting quite as much as they used to.
However, since this is all conjecture I think they should send us all on a cruise to the Bahamas for seven days none the less.
I’m glad the definition of a senior citizen is somewhere along a spectrum. Some days I feel like I’m a 55-year-old senior and other days I’m well entrenched in the 70+ years. I love your suggestions for ways to celebrate us. Just wonder who the “they” would be to pay for that cruise! Thanks, Effie!