American society today seems to be obsessed with youth. It’s natural to value our children, of course – they are, after all, our future. And for many, aging is a process of steady, unrelenting loss – of the power and status, health and energy, attractiveness, memory and mental acuity, and most important, the potential of our youth. For some becoming old feels like being thrown on the trash heap; with their children grown and focused on their own families and retirement from the job that had defined them, they feel useless and unwanted.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, if children are our future, our senior citizens are our past. They provide the social and cultural continuity that holds our communities together. The elderly have a lot to offer society.

*Wisdom and Experience

Though the young often believe their parents and grandparents have nothing to teach them, for most of us wisdom comes with age and experience. The younger generation may be inclined to go off half-cocked, rush foolishly into situations they’d be better off avoiding, and acting on impulse without taking time to think things through. Their elders may have valuable advice and guidance to give the younger generation that could save them a lot of time and trouble if they were willing to listen. True, kids need generally to make their own mistakes, but listening to their elders may prevent the most damaging errors or help them put their difficulties into perspective.

The older generation is also a great storehouse of knowledge and history. Without the experience of our elders, our society and institutions end up constantly reinventing the wheel, so to speak. Like a tree needs its roots for growth and nourishment, a society needs roots to keep it grounded in its traditional values and history.

Grandparents are often available for babysitting and spending quality time with their grandchildren, freeing the young parents for romantic getaways, work and keeping up with their hectic lives most working couples have today. Many older people in modern American society are segregated from younger adults and children, relegated to nursing homes or “retirement” communities. Families who have active, healthy grandparents living nearby have the opportunity to develop strong relationships between the kids and their elderly relatives that can greatly enrich the lives of both generations. Grandparents can be great storytellers, reminiscing about their earlier lives. They can also provide positive role models for young children who probably have little contact with older adults and may regard aging as something negative and depressing.

*Volunteerism and Mentoring

Maybe the most important way older adults can contribute to their communities is through volunteer activities. Retirees have more free time than younger adults, and a need to give something back by sharing their experience, knowledge, skills, and talents. For many retirees, old age is a time to become deeply engaged in their churches, local politics, schools and cultural and community organizations. When I was younger I knew a number of older people who had formed a vibrant social network of volunteers who spent hours working for the city’s symphony orchestra and a wonderful chamber orchestra, the regional theaters, art and natural history museums, and dozens of other arts groups. Many retired professionals also become more involved in professional associations, or mentor younger people who can benefit greatly from their years of experience and knowledge.

Older adults have countless ways to use their life experience to enrich their communities. We may retire from work and slow down as we age, but this doesn’t mean we are irrelevant or useless. All communities have a lot to gain from the engagement of their elderly citizens.