COLUMN: Think Again – Don’t assume that old means useless

I just finished reading Original Sin. Written by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, Original Sin exposes the extent to which former U.S. President Joe Biden’s team covered up his cognitive decline throughout his presidency.

It doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

In excruciating detail, Tapper and Thompson describe multiple examples of how Biden’s team shielded him from the media, limited his interactions with his own cabinet members, and told outright lies about his health. As we know, this web of deception came crashing down after Biden’s disastrous debate performance last June. One month later, Biden was no longer the Democratic presidential nominee.

Tapper and Thompson are right to shine a light on this deception. However, Biden’s cognitive decline was hiding in plain sight for quite some time. Even outside observers like me could tell that Biden no longer had the necessary strength or stamina to serve another four years as leader of the most powerful country in the world.

However, it’s important that we not use this unfortunate situation as an excuse to dismiss the immeasurable value that seniors bring to our community. Being old doesn’t mean that you are useless, nor should it result in you becoming unemployable. The standard by which we should be measured is our ability to do the job—not a specific age.

I’ve seen some pundits suggest that just as the U.S. Constitution sets a minimum age for the presidency (35), it should also include a maximum age. That would be a mistake. While Biden was obviously cognitively impaired at the age of 82, there are plenty of men and women older than that who are still fit as a fiddle. Not everyone ages at the same rate.

For example, Queen Elizabeth II served ably as Queen for 70 years until she died at the age of 96. While she obviously slowed down in her later years, few people suggested that she was unable to do the job. Here in Canada, Hazel McCallion was the mayor of Mississauga, Ontario until she retired in 2014 at the age of 93. Even after retirement, McCallion remained active, serving on the Greater Toronto Airport Authority board until she died in 2023 at the age of 101.

Lifespans in our country have grown significantly over the last century. The average Canadian life expectancy in 1925 was 60; today, it’s over 80. Obviously, many people live well past 80 years, with some making into their 90s, and even over 100. Instead of dismissing seniors as irrelevant, we must make use of their skills.

Obviously, most people are unlikely to maintain full-time jobs into their 70s and 80s. But we should be careful not to push them out of their professions too quickly—especially if they want to keep working. If a 75-year-old doctor wants to keep seeing patients, then let her do that. By the same token, if an 80-year-old lawyer remains effective at his job, then let him continue practicing.

As for the seniors who have retired, we should make use of the valuable knowledge they possess by encouraging them to volunteer in their areas of expertise. Incidentally, if a senior wants to work part-time and earn a little extra income, that’s great too. Frankly, senior citizens often make some of the best employees, since they bring a mature perspective to the work they do.

No one stays young forever. Remember that before you express a desire for seniors to get out of the way and let younger people take their jobs.

Whether you are old or young, you bring something of value. There’s no age limit on someone’s worth.

Michael Zwaagstra is a high school teacher and deputy mayor of Steinbach. He can be reached at mzwaagstra@shaw.ca.