Do you suffer from senior prejudice?

Oh darn. We missed the 2018 United Nations International Day of the Older Person.

Shoot. I wanted to celebrate that. Well, maybe next year.

The theme this year was “Ageism,” a term coined in 1969, meant to describe a form of discrimination based on age.

We’ve come along way since 1969, with acceptance of same-sex and inter-racial marriages, women in government — you can compose your own list.

But is discrimination outdated? Don’t we wish. There are still lots of people uneasy with gays, blacks, Muslims, Jews, people with accents. Too bad, but it’s still the world we live in.

I used to joke with my daughter, when she would accomplish something noteworthy: I would say “You’re pretty smart, for a girl.”

It was spoken, and taken, as a joke and I still say it occasionally because it’s a term of endearment between us.

Does that make me a monster? I don’t think so, but seemingly-harmless utterances among family are not so harmless to others.

And, nowhere is that more so than among our senior population.

My dad retired at 59. I was 23 then and I remember thinking he was just about out of time by my young-man’s watch.

I was glad he retired so he could have a few years to do what he wanted. How naive was I?

Dad’s retirement lasted 22 years. So, obviously, I had senior prejudice and didn’t even know it.

Your life isn’t over when you quit working; in fact, for many, it’s just begun — as lots of us have already discovered.

You might be surprised the learn that seniors aren’t sucking the medical system as dry as we are made to believe.

Not all retirees are rich and out playing golf.

In fact, half of B.C.’s seniors have an income of less than $24,000 a year. And, we’re not all headed for the nearest nursing home: about 85 per cent over the age of 85 still live independently.

Nor are the emergency rooms crowded with seniors; in fact, only 22 per cent of emergency department visits are from those over 65.

Aside from the fact that many of us don’t hear as well, see as well, speak as well, concentrate as well, or remember the names of people we’ve known forever, only 20 per cent of us actually have dementia.

Maybe the younger set could cut us seniors a little slack. It will be your turn soon enough.

Fred Trainor is a retired broadcaster, living in Okanagan Falls. Email: fredtrainor@shaw.ca.