Old and wrinkly is that any way to describe an oldie?

Another good blog posting by inmyprime is about the language that the media uses in connection with older people. An article in the Independent is referenced.

“Old and wrinkly” is a term that arguably is offensive even for ageing elephants. Used in respect of older people in the twentyfirst century it is inexcusable. The offence is then compounded by use of a number of other terms such as “granny friendly”

Like most article on the older market, this one only portrays the upside of the wealthy set and ignores the perilous plight of the majority.

Welcome to the world of the grey pound, where enlightened businessmen strive to win the approval of an ever-growing horde of comfortably-off senior citizens. It's quite a market, and it keeps growing. According to the Office for National Statistics' new Family Spending report, the amount spent annually by over-65s rose from £97bn in 2008 to £102bn in 2009. That's 16 per cent of the nation's total expenditure. Also notable is the increasing disinclination of the over-65s to die around the time of their Biblical span of 70. According to figures released in December, one in six people now living in the UK will live to be 100.

There are a couple of interesting references in the article. One is to a German-born, Turkish designer called Umit Benan who has dressed a cast of 60- plus men as members of a stylish, slightly shagged-out rock'n'roll band, with an uncompromising style. The models for his Retired Rockers collection are a gallery of rogues in mix-and-don't-match styles and colours, shiny suits, 1950s shades, chocolate corduroy waistcoats, headbands, leopardskin jackets, voluminous coats, vaudevillian hats...

Somehow not for me but an original approach. Both the blog posting and the original article are worth a read. Dick Stroud