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For many years, I took a weekly yoga class that I really enjoyed. During the pandemic, I started taking the class online, but it wasn't the same, and eventually, I stopped practicing altogether.
But recently, I decided it would be good to get back into yoga, so I looked for a new class to try.
After reading good reviews online and finding out that the studio offered a free one-week trial, I decided to give it a go. I took two classes with different instructors. Both were challenging but enjoyable, so I looked into pricing for a membership.
In addition to the set price, the studio offered special deals for certain eligible groups, including students, teachers and first responders. Then I saw a discounted rate offered to “seniors,” and although I was pretty sure I would not qualify, my curiosity led me to click on it anyway.
Whoa!! It turned out I did qualify. The studio defined a “senior” as anyone 55 or older.
That meant that I could take the class at a lower price. Throughout my life, I have always been a big fan of a sale, a discount, a percentage off or a redeemable coupon. I have never wanted to pay more for anything, and I've been known to feel positively giddy when I have gotten a good deal.
And yet, here I was, the beneficiary of a discount, and I felt gut-punched. Why did I react negatively to being labeled a senior, even when I qualified for something good? It made no sense. Instead of being excited or appreciative, all I felt at that moment was old.
“Unfortunately, old age has a terrible brand manager,” says psychiatrist Dr. Gail Saltz, associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and host of the How Can I Help? podcast from iHeartRadio. “In our youth-obsessed culture, aging has many negative connotations. Older adults are thought of as infirm, decrepit, less vigorous and with less time to live.”
It is not surprising that people like me don’t want to be associated with the idea of being an older adult. “The label of ‘senior’ can play a trick on your mind and your perception of yourself,” explains Dr. Saltz.
Think about the rule of etiquette that no one should ever ask a lady’s weight or her age because it is deemed impolite. “The implication is that thin equals beauty and that youth equals vitality,” adds Dr. Saltz. “While we have tried to change that mindset in recent years, it hasn't always been so successful. Our society remains biased toward certain body images, and we continue to have an ageist culture.”
The reality is that the yoga studio didn't set out to judge or insult me or my age.
“A senior discount is supposed to be an incentive,” says Dr. Saltz. “It is an acknowledgment that you may no longer be on an upward trajectory financially and that cost may be the factor that precludes you from taking the class.”
The discounted price was a marketing tool, not a judgment. It's not like the studio made me sign a waiver because they didn't think I could handle the class at my advanced age. The instructor didn't insist I modify the movement because they believed my aged tendons were too brittle to bend.
All the negativity stemmed from me and how I felt about being categorized as a senior. I realized that I had my own internal battle to fight with ageism. Knowing that I fit the criteria for a discount based on age made me feel bad because I don't feel that old, whatever that means.
“Acknowledging that we have our own age bias is the first step forward in changing how we look at getting older,” says Dr. Saltz.
The next step is to seek out other data that counter this perception of what it means to be a senior and to not allow age bias to dictate what we can do. Physical ability and desire are the only criteria to evaluate, not the number of candles on our last birthday cake.
During my free trial, I noticed that the class was filled with yogis closer to my daughter's age. But instead of that being a deterrent, I decided to look at it as an inspiration. Taking the class would be a small step toward redefining what it means to be a senior, at least in my mind.
So, I signed up for the 10-class package at the lower rate. I am getting a great workout, staying fit and saving a little money. Although accepting that I qualified for a senior discount stung at first, ultimately, I realized that the only thing negative about the deal was my attitude.
Have YOU ever been offered a senior discount? How did that make you feel? Let us know in the comments below.
Anna Parini
Follow Article Topics: Lifestyle
