Coronavirus Has Boomers Asking: Who Are You Calling Seniors?

The coronavirus and recommendations for avoiding infection may be forcing a redefinition of "old age" among baby boomers, reports the Wall Street Journal . Many boomers — a generation committed to health and exercise — have long assumed that "60 is the new 40" in terms of wellness. Yet the pandemic and concerns from younger generations about boomers' susceptibility to the virus are reframing this discussion. This obviously grates on some men and women in this age demographic, while gerontologists and those concerned with ageism harbor their own animosity toward the word "elderly." "We live in an ageist culture and we have negative associations with words and images of seniors," said gerontologist and author Thomas Cole. A review of news releases and briefings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that while the agency warned of a higher risk from the coronavirus starting at 60 years, it did not apparently use the world "elderly." However, news reports have used the word regularly, as have world health officials and politicians.