How Old is "Too Old"?

Seen in the hospital parking lot

I work in an environment where workers of all ages are well-integrated. I do not see much ageism from staff but patients will comment on race and age occasionally. Our newest physiotherapist is a full 40 years younger than me so I am old enough to be his grandmother. My husband was triaged in the emergency department last week by a registered nurse who is over 80 years old. She is just another member of an efficient medical team in a very busy department. I perceive my inner self to be considerably younger than my outer self. But I wonder sometimes how my younger peers perceive my age and ability.

  Stereotypical "old people" are resistant to change, critical of younger generations, and cease to be innovative. They may repeat themselves, demonstrate impaired memory, lose their frontal lobe social filters, are inattentive and talk too loudly. Their aches and pains are broadcasted to everyone in earshot and they are often demanding, self-absorbed and self-centred. Fortunately, many seniors avoid these pitfalls and are lovely people who contribute much to society as volunteers, paid workers, family supporters and friends.

Older workers can bring the strength of experience, resilience, reliability and positive mentorship to a workplace. They may have fewer competing interests compared to younger workers who sometimes juggle the stress of child-rearing and elder care along with full-time employment. 

I saw this quote on Stephen Covey's Twitter feed and copied it to give myself time to think about the profound truth that is stated so well. The older we are the easier it is to engage in "story topping" where we interrupt a story-teller with a tale from our experience that gives us the one-upmanship in the conversation. My own children have called me up on this one! Listening well sometimes leads to silent periods in conversation as we wisely process and respond to what has been said. Most people are uncomfortable with silent pauses but silence is sometimes necessary to give the speaker time to express their true emotions. It is important to practice active listening without judgment while ignoring the pop-up responses that enter our thoughts. 

I worked last weekend with the young physiotherapist who recently joined our team. The previous week had been stressful with the sudden death of my brother-in-law and my husband's potentially serious medical diagnosis. The young man respectfully asked how I was doing, stopping his task and turning toward me with empathy and genuine interest while waiting for my reply. I realized firsthand the importance of giving this kind of attention to others when I talked to them. 

My current job requires a reasonable level of physical fitness but of equal importance is the ability to be reliable, empathetic, and willing to learn and accept change while maintaining a positive attitude. I can share my experience without self-focus and encourage my teammates to work to their best potential.