What would you rather be known as?

People could be unwittingly offending older adults by referring to them using a term they dislike, according to a recent study.

Research by MGM Advantage revealed that the government and society are potentially upsetting 97 per cent of UK senior citizens by referring to them as elderly.

The term 'old age pensioner' was also found to be disliked by many over-65s, with the majority preferring to be referred to as 'senior citizen' and 'retired person'.

Furthermore, it was revealed that 100,000 over 65s would like to be known as a 'Grey Panther' - although more than half of these were male.

Many also preferred silver surfer to more traditional terms, indicating that people need to be more careful about using common phrases like pensioner.

Aston Goodey, distribution and marketing director, MGM Advantage, commented: "It is important to remember that older people are not one homogenised group but a diverse demographic that government, society and industry cannot afford to refer to as one entity."

By changing the way older adults are referred to, it may lead to better provision of services and care with the needs of individuals at the heart.

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