The University of Arizona Center on Aging’s Linda Phillips, RN, PhD, FAAN, FGSA, authored an op-ed in the Arizona Daily Star just before Christmas
Dr. Phillips, who is senior director of research and education in the center’s Arizona Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, is also a Professor Emerita at the UCLA School of Nursing. In addition, she is a public voices fellow with The OpEd Project through the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona.
Dr. Phillips' nursing and research career has focused largely on gerontology and in 2005 she was named Gerontologist of the Year by the Arizona Geriatric Society. She also has been named among the “16 Great Acute Care Nursing Professors” by NP Schools (NursePractitionerSchools.com).
Her Arizona Daily Star op-ed draws a contrary picture of Santa Claus as a lovable elder, whereas other older folks often may be portrayed as a burden.
It starts out:
“Excitement abounds. Rumor has it that Santa Claus, one of the most beloved people in our part of the world, is coming to town. As a gerontologist who has been in the field for around 40 years, I find it ironic that such a very, very old man causes such an excited stir in a country that worships youth. Who would have thought? Maybe Santa Claus is revered because he just isn’t like other older people. He doesn’t fit with the negative ideas that many people have of elders.”
She flips the story, though, to talk about older folks as caregivers and passers-on of wisdom in a quaint way that celebrates the season.
The article, “Older people make extraordinary contributions,” ran in the newspaper on Dec. 9, 2018.