With the province’s senior citizens celebrating Alberta Seniors Week from June 2-8, one “emerging senior” hopes to bridge the gap between Jasper’s oldest and youngest senior citizens.
Most people consider anyone older than 65 a senior, but there is a significant gap between 65 and 100-plus, and the gulf between those at the far ends of that spectrum can be significant.
“Senior can be a very flexible thing,” said Bob Worssold, an emerging senior in Jasper, who’s thought a lot about bringing seniors of all ages together. He explained that people often retire around the age of 55, and in a lot of ways that marks the first step into the realm of senior citizen.
Those relatively young retirees have a lot of knowledge that might be alien to the town’s older generation of seniors—an older generation that sometimes finds it difficult to learn new skills.
Worssold, who is involved with the Jasper Seniors Society, thinks that if the information is being taught by other “seniors” it can make it more accessible.
Emerging seniors are in an ideal position, because they have a lot of the knowledge of the younger generation, but are still able to relate to the older generation of seniors at their level and their speed.
Through initiatives like the Seniors Learning Club at the Jasper Adult Learning Centre, Worssold thinks that divide can be bridged.
“What I’d like to do is eventually start amalgamating the younger seniors with the older ones,” he said, and a group like the seniors club can be the perfect place “to start breaking down barriers.”
The club provides an opportunity for seniors to ease into technology, offering month-long modules that aim to provide useful real-life tools for senior citizens who want to become more comfortable with technology.
This month, for example, the club is learning the ins and outs of Facebook: uploading pictures, updating statuses and connecting through groups.
He hopes eventually to get a wide cross-section of seniors involved, to make the gap more manageable, and help seniors on both ends of the spectrum continue to grow.
Trevor Nichols
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