One clear sign that the passing of time does not guarantee progress is how Western societies treat elders. In this instance, modern absolutely does not mean better or more civilized.
But our elders (seniors) deserve so much better, which can happen if we tap into our more traditional ways of respecting our seniors. A huge step toward achieving this is recognizing we need our elders as much as they need us. In other words, their elevated age does not equate to having no place in modern society.
In fact, the opposite is true. Elders can serve a valuable and powerful role if we divorce ourselves from the Western mindset of judging individuals solely on their ability to produce profits for corporations.
Let’s start with humane treatment
A great place to start would be to end the rampant abuse of seniors.
A comprehensive review of articles found that roughly one in 10 seniors suffer some form of elder abuse. That abuse includes physical abuse, psychological or verbal abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation and neglect, per Congress.gov.
Other studies show that rate of abuse befalls one in five seniors. Multiple sources say such abuse is grossly under-reported, with only one in 24 such abuses ever being reported to authorities.
Confronting and ending this abuse can go a long way in elevating seniors’ place in today’s society.
Recognize and utilize the elder role
But the real game-changer can come when we, members of today’s people, recognize and utilize elders’ historical roles in our communities.
Wisdom sharers
Historically, elders held the role of griots (historians), responsible for passing down a people’s stories and knowledge from generations past to generations present. Losing this knowledge is a crime against humanity and an insult to our ancestors. The fact that so many of our people today know so little about our past, and the negative impacts of this, only underscores the critical role our elders can and should play.
Mentors
From the African perspective, every generation has its place and duties to keep our communities healthy. One of those roles of seniors is utilizing that wisdom by sharing it specifically in mentor capacities with young people, especially elementary and middle-school-aged children. SHAPE Community Center’s Elders Institute of Wisdom allows our elders to honor this role by placing them in regular conversation and interaction with youth involved in SHAPE’s after-school and summer youth programs.
Community Council
Elders, i.e. seniors, who have earned the title of elder (it is not bestowed upon everyone who lives for a certain amount of years, but rather it’s based on a commitment to community), are utilized by serving on councils to help moderate disputes and bring clarity to challenging issues. And with all the issues facing our communities today, such guidance is sorely needed.
Volunteers
More and more schools, after-school programs and other youth-focused organizations are tapping into the wealth of knowledge and experience elders bring to the table. Numerous entities utilize retired teachers and school administrators to help guide their efforts. How many other professions and segments of society could benefit from the generational knowledge our seniors hold?
