AGEISM AND CORONA

AGEISM AND CORONA

The corona virus has taken over our lives. We still have freedom of choice – every person within his/her circumscribed small world. However, no matter how smart we are, there’s something we have to cope with that’s bigger than ourselves.  We are forced into taking life slower, which isn’t a bad thing. It gives one more time to think and see what’s really important.

Another  consequence of corona is that older people are suddenly being taking into account. In Israel, a lot of thought and resources have been allocated in order to protect older people. Until now, youth has been much more admired and  visible in the public sphere than us “oldies.”

According to the head of the Gerontology  department at the university of Haifa’s Health and Welfare centre, since corona, many senior citizens feel that they are being stereotyped. As if every elderly person is especially vulnerable and in imminent danger of becoming infected with corona. That they are unfit to make their own judgments, without others having  to decide for them what they are able, or unable, to do.

On the contrary, the majority of the elderly weren’t even aware that they are “old” until the present crisis. In their eyes the prevalent attitude is patronizing and separates the elderly from the rest of the population. Many  feel hurt and insulted.  Some feel that society treats them  like kindergarten children or dogs, that have to be taken out once a day for a walk.

There are 100,000 people over the age of 67 in Israel, and 80% of them are healthy and able-bodied. It makes no sense to imprison 800,000 senior citizens who are defined as healthy and active. Isolation and lack of physical activity can be detrimental to these citizen’s mental and physical health.

Jewish tradition respects the elders. In one of the ten commandments, it is mandated to honour one’s father and mother – that is, the older generation. Judaism also partners old age with wisdom.

The sad fact remains, however, that retirement, mandatory or otherwise is a fact of modern living. Apart from changing the attitude of society as a whole, most of all we must change the self-perception of the aged and near-aged. The life changes that come with old age are not a cause of retirement from productive life, but the opportunity to discover new and more meaningful ways to develop oneself and surroundings.

It is not necessary for aging people to step out of society and let the younger generation learn only by trial and error. The wisdom and knowledge, that only decades of life experience brings, is the only way for the next generation to build on what has come before.

Elderly people must chose to age with dignity. The aged should be encouraged to command respect and admiration and to use their wisdom for the benefit of their descendents. No matter what modern society says, these words are true for all eras of history.