This article pays a special tribute to any American who begins many conversations with the words “Back in my day.” PDC Rx, a family-owned and operated hospice pharmacy benefits management company, is thrilled to celebrate Older Americans Month. It is a bit of a struggle for me to delineate the years that comprise those who qualify as “Older Americans” because doing so means that I have to face the fact that I am one. My parents survived the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and World War II. They were members of the group Tom Brokaw, an American journalist, described as “The Greatest Generation” because of their ability to overcome adversity with grace, dignity, and tenacity. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer members of The Greatest Generation survive to tell their tales, but those of us who were raised by them have been forever shaped by their values, strength, and resilience.

So, the generation of so-called “Older Americans” were brought into this world as the children of a generation that took their hats off and put their hands over their hearts during the National Anthem; they believed – because they witnessed it – that overcoming obstacles builds character. In his inaugural speech in 1961, President John F. Kennedy said, “Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed, to a new generation of Americans, born in this century [20th century], tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace.” Sadly, Older Americans remember the country’s overwhelming grief it felt when it mourned the loss of both John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., to violent assassins.

“So, the generation of so-called ‘Older Americans’ were brought into this world as the children of a generation that took their hats off and put their hands over their hearts during the National Anthem; they believed – because they witnessed it – that overcoming obstacles builds character.”

— Author

Older Americans contribute to today’s society through their stories, their acquired wisdom and insight, and their sense of community. They provide invaluable lessons that should be cherished and respected. At every possible opportunity, we should make it a priority to engage with and draw from their experiences and collective courage.

On a lighter note, let’s face it. It is often quite fun to laugh at the generation of Older Americans, too. I know my children find that making fun of me is their greatest source of entertainment. George Bernard Shaw, an Irish playwright, said, “You don’t stop laughing when you grow old; you grow old when you stop laughing.” Let’s take a moment to laugh at ourselves, shall we?

YOU MIGHT QUALIFY AS AN “OLDER AMERICAN” IF:

You file your toenails with a dremel wrapped in sandpaper;

You believe you can save starving people by clearing your plate;

You had to walk to school in the snow, uphill both ways;

You believe that you must save as many McDonalds’ ketchup packets as possible;

You find it difficult to believe that a document can go into a fax machine and come out exactly the same in a completely different part of the world;

You remember where you were when Pearl Harbor was attacked or if your parents told you where they were when Pearl Harbor was attacked;

You expect to hear a dial tone when you put your cell phone to your ear;

You consider walkie-talkies and pagers to be new-fangled technology;

You have ever used the word “new-fangled;”

You remember your first color television, and it was in a console;

You look at your siblings and/or friends and think, “They’re old.”

You don’t complain about your gray hair because at least it’s hair;

You have wild, wiry gray hairs in places that shouldn’t really have hair;

Your music preferences are either Glen Miller Band or Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, and Doobie Brothers;

Your favorite sitcoms are M*A*S*H* and the Andy Griffith Show;

When you see a Silver Alert, you have to double check the kind of car you’re driving;

You have lost your glasses only to find that you have two pair sitting atop your head;

The first section of the newspaper you read is the obituaries;

You still read a newspaper;

When someone contacts you in the morning, they have to ask, “Did I wake you up?”

So, if you qualify as an Older American, pat yourself on the back, hold your head up high, inhale a big breath of self-pride, and let out a gigantic sigh of relief. You have earned the respect of every living American and have earned a medal of honor. And, remember, the youngsters aren’t laughing at you; they’re laughing with you.

PDC Rx Contributor: Joanna Rasp