We’ve all heard and used the term “Senior Citizen” forever, but have you ever stopped to think what it actually means? Of course, we all know it refers to someone older in age, but what is officially the senior citizen age? Believe it or not, this is a fairly contentious issue!
Most definitions of “senior citizen” involve retirement. Retirees are usually considered senior citizens because benefits like pensions or healthcare are typically redeemed upon retirement. But that can’t be a hard-and-fast rule, as there are those lucky people who retire way before they’re eligible for those benefits in their 50s, 40s, 30s, or even 20s! In a legal or policy context, the term is used to define who is or isn’t eligible for those kinds of benefits.
Many feel that “senior citizen” is less of an official qualification and more of a reverent term, used to recognize the ongoing relevance that this group has in our society and the respect that they should be shown as the “citizens” with the highest seniority or rank.
Where did the term even come from in the first place? According to the October 2006 issue of The Senior Times, the term “senior citizen” was originally coined as a euphemism for “old person” during a political campaign in the U.S. in 1938. From there, The Senior Times says, the term was further shortened to just “senior.”
But that’s not a universally accepted account of the invention of the term. For example, Albert (Al) Hirschfeld, a caricature artist known for his black and white depictions of Broadway actors and other celebrities, claims that his father, Isaac, coined “senior citizen.”
Putting aside the origin of the term, let’s talk age: how old is a Senior Citizen? Most consider the senior citizen age to be 65, as that coincides with the minimum age for programs like Medicare. 65 is the age that the U.S. Census Bureau categorizes as the “older population.”
As readers of this site are well aware of, many businesses in the U.S. have taken to offering special senior citizen discounts, and this is where the senior citizen age gets convoluted. Depending on the business, the minimum age for their “senior citizen discount” can range anywhere from 65 all the way down to 50 in some cases! The American Association of Retired Persons, or as you probably know it AARP, which negotiates exclusive discounts at businesses on behalf of its members, has a minimum age of 50.
What do you think? How old is a senior citizen to you?
