Mary Jo Bellner Swartzberg
The Golden Years! Why couldn’t the term be the Platinum Years? After all, platinum is more valuable than gold, and seniors are very valuable. Right?
The term the Golden Years gained in popularity in the mid-20th century because of the rise in retirement, as a concept of post-World War II, and coinciding with the start of eligibility for Social Security. And the slogan stuck. The Social Security Act of 1935 established the age of 65 as a benchmark when a person could receive federal retirement benefits, although life expectancy was much lower then. Now a person’s retirement years can continue into one’s 80s and beyond. And, luckily, the person with the Grey Badge of Courage has garnered a lifetime of experiences that will help them later in life.
Bette Davis is attributed with coining the phrase, “Getting old ain’t for sissies.” She’s right, of course. But seniors—whether they know it or not—wear their Grey Badge of Courage every day, and this badge anneals them to the misconception that seniors are to be disregarded.
Seniors are strong. As an example, it can be a daunting task—picking up stakes and relocating to an active adult community in another state. Oftentimes, people move but do not have connections in their new community, so they have to venture out to make them. On the to-do list for those who relocate is to:
• Find healthcare practitioners;
• Locate restaurants, shopping centers, and grocery stores in the area;
• Obtain a new driver’s license in the new state;
• Find a new law firm in the new state;
• Gain perspective on driving to destinations in the area;
• Check out the available activities in the community;
• Get to know your neighbors;
• Engage in new hobbies, learning, or volunteering; and
• Adapt to change—psychologically, physically, and socially.
And, yet, seniors prevail.
But wearing that Grey Badge of Courage really comes in handy when leaving family and friends behind. It helps seniors to be strong in view of starting a new life paradigm.
It also comes in handy when and if people winter in one community and return to their home state for the summer. The Grey Badge of Courage helps people with these transitions. And who of us does not know of people in their 80s who live here and, as well, live elsewhere? These back-and-forth experiences are exhausting and demanding!
There can be derailings along the way. Because of the cohort in active adult communities, sickness and passings are frequent occurrences. This is the Circle of Life, of course, but the Grey Badge of Courage is really needed at these difficult times in order to maintain a positive mindset.
But the good news? Active adult communities offer physical, artistic, educational, and volunteer activities that may not be achievable in neighborhoods. Still, it takes initiative and the Grey Badge of Courage to become aware of, and then engage in, these activities.
Being over 65 belies the fact that a person cannot be productive and happy during the Golden Years. But it helps if each person equips themselves with the Grey Badge of Courage, for it provides resilience in the wake of enormous change.