National Senior Citizens Day

Take time to recognize our oldest and valued citizens

Senior citizens deserve our thanks, respect and appreciation for what they’ve contributed to our society. A great time to celebrate them is on National Senior Citizens Day, August 21. This day allows WayForth, and all of us, to honor the eldest people in our lives and bring focus to issues that affect them.

President Ronald Reagan made this day official with a proclamation signed in 1988. The hope was to shine a light on achievements, contributions and concerns as senior citizens are celebrated around the country. (Coincidentally, Reagan was 69 years old when he was sworn in as President of the U.S.!)

WayForth is your go-to senior move management company. We help with your next transition by helping with downsizing, packing and unpacking, storage services, and more. Contact our team today for a consultation!

Who qualifies as a senior citizen?

According to some sources, a senior citizen is someone who is between 60 and 80 years of age. Others note that it starts when you hit retirement age, which is usually 65 in the United States. Still other sources say that it’s when you can draw your Social Security, which is 66 or 67 years of age, depending on the year you were born.

No matter how you classify them, senior citizens are important members of society. They have raised families, worked hard, started companies, volunteered their service, and made contributions throughout their lives and they deserve to be recognized.

On National Senior Citizens Day, show you care by reaching out to the senior citizens in your life. You can visit, volunteer or donate to a retirement community or plan to have fun if you’re one yourself.

A specific set of challenges

While everyone faces different challenges during their lifetimes, senior citizens have a specific set of issues that they face as they age. These include:

• Mental and physical health including dementia and serious diseases like cancer
• Health care costs that will rise as more of the senior population grows
• Financial security which ties into health care and housing as well as those who involve seniors in scams
• Transportation due to the fact that not everyone can continue to drive
• Social isolation may occur as family members move for jobs and friends pass away

During National Senior Citizens Day, take time to look into these issues and get educated on how you or a loved one can cope with any of these challenges. Getting support and assistance from professionals can help you find the resources you may need.

The time is now

Just because you or someone you love is a senior citizen, life doesn’t have to stop or slow down unless you’re ready. Look at this quick list of seniors (or close to it) who show all of us that you can be great at any age.

• Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as Grandma Moses, began painting at 78
• Bruce Springsteen is 72 and a world-famous musician who is still touring
• John Glenn was one of NASA’s original seven Mercury astronauts. At age 77, his mission of almost nine days on the space shuttle orbiter Discovery, launched Oct. 29, 1998, made him the oldest human to venture into space
• Jane Fonda is an 84-year-old actress who currently has a hit show on Netflix
• Frank McCourt is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author who published his first book in his early 60s

There are many ways seniors can make the most of their later years. This includes everything from taking classes at a local community center or university to signing up for travel with like-minded peers. Often, people learn a new sport such as golf or pickleball or take up painting or gardening as a hobby after they retire. Whatever it is, the idea is to live a full and vibrant life as you age.

If you or a loved one is a senior citizen and would like information on our comprehensive moving solutions – including downsizing – simply contact our moving professionals today at 1.844.WAYFORTH.