Do you suffer from gerasophobia?

I’m a bit worried these days. You see, I think I suffer from gerascophobia. When I think about it, I get scared. My heart races a bit, and I feel sad. I dread it. I joke about it. But deep down inside, I am worried about it. Embrace it? Nope. Not on your life.

You may also suffer from gerascophobia.

WTF is gerascophobia? Take a deep breath. Here it is: gerascophobia is the fear of growing old or of old age. I know it happens to most of us—at least those of us who are blessed and
make it that far in this journey of life. Don’t get me wrong, I am very
grateful for every single day, month, and year that I have been on this planet. I’m just nervous and a little sad about the inevitable. Old age used to be so far away. It used to be what my parents were. Now, it’s what I am closing in on.

I’ve done blogs in the past about the passage of time, things to do to stay active and healthy in retirement. I’ve interviewed people older than me about their passions, and I’ve compared myself to my parents when they were my age. I even reviewed Jann Arden’s book “If I Knew Then: Finding Wisdom in Failure and Power in Aging“ and Hagitude, by Dr. Sharon Blackie. I have referred to the aging process hundreds of times, sometimes tongue in cheek, sometimes more seriously.

Aging is something that just happens. Suddenly, you find yourself discussing aches, pains, and other maladies with strangers. These strangers often nod in agreement and share a story of their own. We all have them, that’s for sure. Aging brings on a strange type of intimacy that I never imagined sharing with others.

And gerascophobia is a real thing. Some of the symptoms include an irrational fear of growing old, feelings of panic, anxiety, terror, and dread, physical reactions such as shortness of breath, trembling, and rapid heartbeat, and taking extreme avoidance measures.

This blog comes a few days before my 65th birthday. Yes, I am becoming an official member of the “senior” club. Sure, I’ve been able to receive a few discounts before turning 65, and a
lot of senior groups have set their age minimum at 55. But at 65, there is no way around it. I am officially a senior citizen. Shudder.

Turning 65—when did that happen? It seems like yesterday that I was lamenting turning 40. That birthday really freaked me out. Wow, when I think back, I realize how silly I was. Hopefully, I will reach 80 and look back at how silly I was when I turned 65.

I don’t feel my age. But I’m not sure how the average 65-year-old feels or thinks. Do we start thinking differently just because we are in another stage of life? I guess I have less tolerance now for things that tick me off. I have less tolerance for rude people, narrow-minded people, and people that I generally just don’t like. I
have less tolerance for crowds, loud people, and grocery shopping, which usually involves all of the above. I suppose those things have always irritated me, but my tolerance level was a bit higher. OMG, I’m turning into a grumpy old woman!

Physically, I have noticed many changes, which I won’t get into. But the aches and pains are more predominant. That could be because I am more active now than I was 20 years ago. Then I was busy chasing around kids. Now, I am chasing around a pickleball, going for a walk, or playing disc golf. Of course, I’m going to ache. It’s been decades since I put my body through this kind of action. This
morning, I decided to try chair yoga. How hard can it be? You’re sitting on a chair! Well, what a surprise. My lack of flexibility was an eye-opener! It’s something to work on!

Even though it was just in 1966 that Canada reduced its age requirement for senior citizenship from 70 to 65, I think that society’s view of older adults has changed considerably in the last
few years. That could be because there are so many of us. The 2021 Canadian Census indicated that there were 9,212,640 baby boomers, or people aged 56 to 75. Yes, this includes Generation
Jones. Up until then, boomers were the largest age group in the country, but now that glory falls to our children, the Millennials (1980–1996). Interesting fact: Statistics Canada estimates Generation Z (1997–2012) could overtake millennials in numbers sometime between 2038 and 2053.

Another reason for the change in attitude could have been the abolishment of mandatory retirement in Canada in 2009. Suddenly, there were more seniors in the workforce, holding their own
and sharing their skills and experience. According to Statistics Canada, the average retirement age in Canada in 2022 was 64.6 years. This number differs slightly depending on employment sectors. The average age of retirement for self-employed Canadians in 2022 was 66 years, and those in the public sector
had an average retirement age of 62.7, compared to 64.7 years in the private sector.

Times are changing. We don’t have to leave the workforce before we’re ready. There are more activities for seniors, and thanks to pensions, many seniors have the resources to stay active once they retire. Many, not all! (That is an area where the government still
needs to address.) And access to healthcare and technology has also allowed people to remain healthier, which means staying active.

There is still a stigma attached to growing old. I think the term “senior” has a negative connotation when prefacing the word “citizen.” A senior in school, a senior in business, a senior vs. a junior in sports, family lineage, or seniority certainly don’t have the same negative connotation. The only commonality with
“senior citizen” is the reference to someone older or with more
experience. “Senior” citizen sure doesn’t imply someone with a higher level of pay, authority, respect, or reward. Even the Canadian government’s monthly payment for those who reach 65 has a negative name: Old Age Security. But I sure won’t criticize that too much, as I look forward to receiving my first payment in July!

Senior citizens are a valuable part of our society. We make economic contributions to society. We shop, pay taxes, and use services. We make donations to charitable organizations, and we volunteer. We provide childcare and pet care for our families. We have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience over the years. We are involved (when given the chance) in creating policy by working with advocacy groups, especially in areas focusing on elder poverty, healthcare access, social isolation, and government programs.

We are amazing!

Interesting Reads & Things

Programs and services for seniors – Canada.ca

Canadian seniors more connected than ever – Statistics Canada (statcan.gc.ca)

55 Best Movies About Senior Citizens: A Must-Watch Guide (livingyourseniorlife.com)

85 Best Inspirational Quotes for Senior Citizens to Empower and Uplift – Eventful Words

“Senior” “Citizens”. Why do we use the term senior citizen… | by Erin Maruzzella | Medium

Times Have Changed; What Should We Call ‘Old People’ ? : NPR

Unraveling the Term: What Do You Call Someone in Their 60s? – Greatsenioryears

 Gerascophobia – YouTube

GERASCOPHOBIA–The Fear of Getting Old or Aging | Wacky English Words – YouTube

The FEAR Of Getting Older | AGING ANXIETY | EYE OPENING MESSAGE – YouTube

Dare to Question Why We Are So Afraid of Getting Older: Scilla Elworthy at TEDxMarrakesh 2012 (youtube.com)