Learn about Senior Citizens Day

After a lifetime of working, raising families, and contributing to the success of this nation in countless other ways, senior citizens deserve to retire with dignity.

We are fortunate to live in a time when so many of our elderly are living lives of unexpected health and financial security, but such was not always the case. Throughout history old age was not something an individual expected to reach, and so we lost the wisdom and experience of these individuals at an early age. Senior Citizen Day celebrates the fact that these keepers of wisdom are staying with us longer each year, and in better health.

History of Senior Citizen Day

Let’s discuss life expectancy throughout the ages, starting in the Late Middle Ages. During this time period those who were at the top of the social strata had a life expectancy of 30 years old, 30 years! Could you imagine graduating High School only to have less time remaining on this Earth than you spent in school? That’s how far things have come since those days of old. Even in the 1900’s the age had only increased to 31, but that’s when things really started getting incredible.

You see, as medical technology advanced, which it has been doing exponentially in the last 100 years, so did life expectancy advance with it. In the 1950’s we saw an average life expectancy of 48 the world over, and then in 2014 it had expanded to 71.5 years, more than double the life expectancy of our medieval counterparts! In fact, in Monaco you find the longest life expectancy of the world, 89.52 years!

This means that we have more and more people living to a ripe old age and able to share their wisdom, stories, and experience with several generations.

How to celebrate Senior Citizen Day

There are organizations that help to support those Senior Citizens who are living on their own, and they accept volunteers to work with them and help out the aging community. You can also stop by local Adult Care Homes to visit those who may have seen their friends and family pass before them. If you have grandparents or other elderly still alive in your family, celebrate Senior Citizen Day by stopping by and telling the how much you appreciate them. Sitting down and listening to the stories they have to tell can give you a unique perspective on the world and yourself.

From: www.daysoftheyear.com

Learn about Senior Citizens Day