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Lillian Zimmerman is a powerful advocate for the dignity and rights of middle-aged and older women. Widowed, a single parent and a grandparent of four adult grandchildren, at age 85 in 2009, she increasingly put her energies into making gerontological research findings available to a more general community. Derived from her interviews as an associate with the Simon Fraser University Gerontology Research Centre, she wrote, Baglady or Powerhouse?: A Roadmap for Midlife (Boomer) Women (Detselig 2009), which includes case histories of courage and discrimination, not without optimism and humour. $29.95 9781550593648
Statistics Canada made headlines in 2017 when it was reported that for the first time since Confederation people over the age of 65 in Canada outnumber the 15-and-younger demographic. "I deplore the 'population aging as a crisis' story that is so often found in the media," writes Zimmerman, "portraying those of us who are old as a threat and future burdens. This is both untrue and harmful. Such thinking robs people of self-respect and constitutes a failure to recognize what most older people have achieved. We have accomplished a great deal of good, and will continue to do so."
In Did You Just Call Me Old Lady? (Fernwood $18), 92-year-old Zimmerman made the case that long-livers can have fulfilling lives and they make valuable contributions to society. She exposes how negative attitudes can arise from jokes about memory loss and sexual infirmity, as well as ads for products to alleviate bodily failings. She asserts that ageism, like sexism and racism, needs to be more widely addressed. Consequently Zimmerman established a new scholarship at SFU to annually support a graduate student in the Department of Gerontology during their first year of study. 9781552668979
Lillian Zimmerman (MSW) has been a Research Associate in Gender Issues at the GRC and an adult educator who has been primarily interested in issues concerning women. She has organized numerous courses and workshops and addressed seminars and conferences nationally and provincially. She represented Canada at a UNESC0 conference in Frankfurt in the early 80s on non-traditional work for women. She was awarded two study grants by the Swedish Government in 1984 and 1989 to go to Stockholm and learn about Swedish social policy on Working Families. In 1998 Lillian completed a three-year term as a member of the B.C. Seniors Advisory Council, heading a task force and conducting a study for a position paper published in 1998, "Perspectives on Older Women in BC: Socio-Economic Change in the Making."
She was a faculty member of Douglas College for 20 years where she worked in continuing education and lifelong learning, latterly as chair of the department. Following her retirement from the college in 1991, Lillian became interested in issues which affected older Canadian women, specifically women and retirement. She found little, either in the literature or advocacy directed to this population. In fact, older women were ignored generally, even by groups supportive of women's concerns, despite the fact that older Canadian women are among Canada's poorest.
Lillian and Dr. Veronica Doyle received a grant from a major credit union, Vancouver City Savings, to research the retirement plans of their female staff members. This research was carried out at the Gerontology Research Centre with GRC Research Associate Lynne MacFadgen. A major concern was the intersection of paid work (public sphere) with unpaid work (domestic) and how these affect women's late life income. A paper entitled "Women's Retirement: Shifting Ground" was published in the book, Rethinking Retirement, a compendium of papers presented at a 1995 Conference of the same name, organized by Lillian. In 1994, Lillian, Lynne MacFadgen and Gloria Gutman (Professor and Director of the Gerontology Research Centre) received a grant from the Social Sciences Humanities and Research Council (SSHRC) towards a larger research project on Women and Retirement. Three hundred and six women in the Lower Mainland of B.C. were studied in age cohorts of 45-54, 55-64 and 65+, regarding their work histories, knowledge of finances, and retirement timing, among other variables.
With recent Federal pension reforms, interest in retirement has burgeoned, as has the literature, with growing attention to women's paid and unpaid work in relation to their late life resources. Lillian is skeptical about mainstream assumptions that current working women "boomers" will be secure in their retirement, saying "Women still interrupt their work for family responsibilities, and will increasingly be called on to provide eldercare." With many women working in service sector occupations which afford little by way of pensions she feels "a secure old age is far from assured." Lillian later shifted her interest to intergenerational issues, disagreeing with common views which target an aging population as necessitating changes to Canada's social welfare system, including pensions.
Feeling that the issues are far broader than simplistic notions about aging itself, Lillian, Dr. Ellen Gee, Dr. Gloria Gutman and Dr. Barbara Mitchell organized the Ninth Friesen Conference, "The Overselling of Population Aging: Apocalyptic Demography and Intergenerational Challenges" at SFU in May, 1998.
BOOKS:
Did you just call me old lady?: A ninety-year-old tells why aging is positive (Fernwood Books 2016)
Zimmerman, L., & Spencer, C. (forthcoming). "Bismarck meets the boomers: Does mandatory retirement have a future?" In G. Gutman, & L. Zimmerman (Eds.) Boomers come of retirement age: Snow birds or sitting ducks?
Zimmerman, L. (2009). Bag lady or powerhouse? A roadmap for midlife (boomer) women. Calgary, AB: Detselig.
Zimmerman, L. (2001). The Canada Pension Plan. In Encarta Encyclopedia [CD-ROM]. Microsoft.
Zimmerman, L. (2001). The Quebec Pension Plan. In Encarta Encyclopedia [CD-ROM]. Microsoft.
Zimmerman, L. (2000). Foreword. In The overselling of population aging: Apocalyptic demography, intergenerational challenges, and social policy. Toronto: Oxford University Press.
Zimmerman, L., Mitchell, B., Wister, A.V., & Gutman, G.M. (2000). Unanticipated consequences: A comparison of expected and actual retirement timing among older women. Women and Aging, 12(1/2), 109-128.
Zimmerman, L., & Spencer, C. (2000). You do have choices: A practical guide for financial decisons for women of all ages. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University.
Zimmerman, L., & Spencer, C. (1999). Facing widowhood: A practical guide. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University. [With a grant received from the Canadian Legion, Pacific Command.]
Gutman, G., MacFadgen, L., & Zimmerman, L. (1998). Retiring women: Public issues, private problems. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University.
Zimmerman, L. (1997). A guide to Canada's public pension system. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University. [With a grant received from the Canadian Legion, Pacific Command.]
[BCBW 2017]
Statistics Canada made headlines in 2017 when it was reported that for the first time since Confederation people over the age of 65 in Canada outnumber the 15-and-younger demographic. "I deplore the 'population aging as a crisis' story that is so often found in the media," writes Zimmerman, "portraying those of us who are old as a threat and future burdens. This is both untrue and harmful. Such thinking robs people of self-respect and constitutes a failure to recognize what most older people have achieved. We have accomplished a great deal of good, and will continue to do so."
In Did You Just Call Me Old Lady? (Fernwood $18), 92-year-old Zimmerman made the case that long-livers can have fulfilling lives and they make valuable contributions to society. She exposes how negative attitudes can arise from jokes about memory loss and sexual infirmity, as well as ads for products to alleviate bodily failings. She asserts that ageism, like sexism and racism, needs to be more widely addressed. Consequently Zimmerman established a new scholarship at SFU to annually support a graduate student in the Department of Gerontology during their first year of study. 9781552668979
Lillian Zimmerman (MSW) has been a Research Associate in Gender Issues at the GRC and an adult educator who has been primarily interested in issues concerning women. She has organized numerous courses and workshops and addressed seminars and conferences nationally and provincially. She represented Canada at a UNESC0 conference in Frankfurt in the early 80s on non-traditional work for women. She was awarded two study grants by the Swedish Government in 1984 and 1989 to go to Stockholm and learn about Swedish social policy on Working Families. In 1998 Lillian completed a three-year term as a member of the B.C. Seniors Advisory Council, heading a task force and conducting a study for a position paper published in 1998, "Perspectives on Older Women in BC: Socio-Economic Change in the Making."
She was a faculty member of Douglas College for 20 years where she worked in continuing education and lifelong learning, latterly as chair of the department. Following her retirement from the college in 1991, Lillian became interested in issues which affected older Canadian women, specifically women and retirement. She found little, either in the literature or advocacy directed to this population. In fact, older women were ignored generally, even by groups supportive of women's concerns, despite the fact that older Canadian women are among Canada's poorest.
Lillian and Dr. Veronica Doyle received a grant from a major credit union, Vancouver City Savings, to research the retirement plans of their female staff members. This research was carried out at the Gerontology Research Centre with GRC Research Associate Lynne MacFadgen. A major concern was the intersection of paid work (public sphere) with unpaid work (domestic) and how these affect women's late life income. A paper entitled "Women's Retirement: Shifting Ground" was published in the book, Rethinking Retirement, a compendium of papers presented at a 1995 Conference of the same name, organized by Lillian. In 1994, Lillian, Lynne MacFadgen and Gloria Gutman (Professor and Director of the Gerontology Research Centre) received a grant from the Social Sciences Humanities and Research Council (SSHRC) towards a larger research project on Women and Retirement. Three hundred and six women in the Lower Mainland of B.C. were studied in age cohorts of 45-54, 55-64 and 65+, regarding their work histories, knowledge of finances, and retirement timing, among other variables.
With recent Federal pension reforms, interest in retirement has burgeoned, as has the literature, with growing attention to women's paid and unpaid work in relation to their late life resources. Lillian is skeptical about mainstream assumptions that current working women "boomers" will be secure in their retirement, saying "Women still interrupt their work for family responsibilities, and will increasingly be called on to provide eldercare." With many women working in service sector occupations which afford little by way of pensions she feels "a secure old age is far from assured." Lillian later shifted her interest to intergenerational issues, disagreeing with common views which target an aging population as necessitating changes to Canada's social welfare system, including pensions.
Feeling that the issues are far broader than simplistic notions about aging itself, Lillian, Dr. Ellen Gee, Dr. Gloria Gutman and Dr. Barbara Mitchell organized the Ninth Friesen Conference, "The Overselling of Population Aging: Apocalyptic Demography and Intergenerational Challenges" at SFU in May, 1998.
BOOKS:
Did you just call me old lady?: A ninety-year-old tells why aging is positive (Fernwood Books 2016)
Zimmerman, L., & Spencer, C. (forthcoming). "Bismarck meets the boomers: Does mandatory retirement have a future?" In G. Gutman, & L. Zimmerman (Eds.) Boomers come of retirement age: Snow birds or sitting ducks?
Zimmerman, L. (2009). Bag lady or powerhouse? A roadmap for midlife (boomer) women. Calgary, AB: Detselig.
Zimmerman, L. (2001). The Canada Pension Plan. In Encarta Encyclopedia [CD-ROM]. Microsoft.
Zimmerman, L. (2001). The Quebec Pension Plan. In Encarta Encyclopedia [CD-ROM]. Microsoft.
Zimmerman, L. (2000). Foreword. In The overselling of population aging: Apocalyptic demography, intergenerational challenges, and social policy. Toronto: Oxford University Press.
Zimmerman, L., Mitchell, B., Wister, A.V., & Gutman, G.M. (2000). Unanticipated consequences: A comparison of expected and actual retirement timing among older women. Women and Aging, 12(1/2), 109-128.
Zimmerman, L., & Spencer, C. (2000). You do have choices: A practical guide for financial decisons for women of all ages. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University.
Zimmerman, L., & Spencer, C. (1999). Facing widowhood: A practical guide. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University. [With a grant received from the Canadian Legion, Pacific Command.]
Gutman, G., MacFadgen, L., & Zimmerman, L. (1998). Retiring women: Public issues, private problems. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University.
Zimmerman, L. (1997). A guide to Canada's public pension system. Vancouver: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University. [With a grant received from the Canadian Legion, Pacific Command.]
[BCBW 2017]
Articles: 1 Article for this author
Did You Just Call Me Old Lady?
Excerpt
Excerpt from Did You Just Call Me Old Lady? By Lillian Zimmerman
Fernwood Publishing
Nov. 2016
How do we get old, what happens on the way and when we get there? As I continued to grow older, I became engaged in learning about older persons: I wanted to understand more about my own experiences — which issues stood out for me and if they did or did not reflect my life. I studied books, journal articles and what was being written about it in the media and what was seen on television. I also learned from peers and others about their own experiences dealing with a range of situations affecting them as they aged as individuals — in their families, with their health, in their working lives and so on. Their stories, many of which I have included, are rich and very real.
As I wrote in Chapter 1, my first major goal was to examine how those of us now in our seventies, eighties, nineties and one hundreds live in positive ways not widely experienced by previous generations. The second goal was to focus not only on the great gains which have been made, but also on one of the most persistent barriers which I believe hampers further gains. This is ageism: the dislike of, and dis-crimination against, older people, which has been termed one of the most tolerated social prejudices in Canada.
A very great deal has been written about both aging and ageism. Now, from the height of my ninety years, I have written about what I feel deserves to be emphasized and expanded. This book presents several key concepts, with some overlapping:
1 Many older Canadians are living their later lives with satisfac¬tion and, yes, enjoyment. I have found that this straightfor¬ward reality has been neglected, the emphasis being on the negative experiences which cause people to continue unnec¬essarily dreading getting old. Of course those of us who do enjoy our later years have avoided catastrophic circumstances such as isolation, poor health and limited finances.
2 I deplore the “population as a crisis” mantra so often found in the media — most of it from the point of view of ideological spin doctors. This picture, portraying those of us who are old as a threat and a future burden, is both untrue and harmful. It is harmful not only in general, as it affects individuals, but because it also influences policy makers. It robs people of self-respect and constitutes a failure to recognize what most older people have achieved. We have accomplished a great deal of good, and will continue to do so.
3 Following from that is the lack of emphasis on what older people actually contribute in hard terms to the economy. It is estimated that unpaid caregivers over the age of 45 con¬tribute $25 billion dollars a year in market terms. They also contribute substantially to the economy by volunteering and by their charitable gifts. Also, increasing numbers of Canadi¬ans remain in the workforce past age 65; in 2011 one in five Canadians over age 55 were employed.
4 Ageism, or the dislike of and discrimination against the old, remains a huge barrier both in our institutions and social structures; it compounds the challenges facing older people; hinders us from getting jobs; results in our having to deal with resentment for our so-called misuse of the health-care system; and robs us of our self-esteem and self-worth. In this book I have synthesized a great deal of disparate evidence of ageism found in popular culture — in humour, language, cartoons, advertising, etc. By examining these various aspects of popular culture, I hope to paint a more comprehensive picture of ageist practices and what it means to be old in a popular culture that glorifies youth.
5 In the strongest possible terms, I caution aging people against internalizing or absorbing the negative stereotypes or horrible caricatures of the old: for example, cartoons or jokes about old, stooped people with canes being unable to cross the road when the light is green, or similar distortions. We do not become disabled or dependent because we are over 65. We continue to make the same contributions we always did: in fact we are probably a lot better at it now, given our experi¬ence and the knowledge we’ve gained.
6 Our achievements as older persons are consistently down-played. Yes, we see stories of outstanding achievements by some of us who run marathons when over eighty, or who tutor students when we are ninety. The late Betty Friedan, of the women’s movement fame, called us “biological pioneers.” I love that phrase. It says to me that living to be well over 75 means that we, as pioneers of longevity, have been innova¬tive, and also very tough. We had to be. I have included an¬ecdotes of how we who are older have had to deal with many challenges, such as retirement, or trying to get and keep jobs, as well as caring for our families — our frail elders, adult children and grandchildren — which we have done, often joyously, but at times anxiously.
My examination of ageism is a major focus of this book: I support the idea that it is the most tolerated social prejudice. It must come out of the closet and be recognized for what it is, to avoid its continuing damaging effects on people as they age. Removing ageist barriers, such as those which prevent older people from continuing to work, could lessen the fear of aging and establish the conditions for a greater enjoyment of old age.
I deplore the “aging is a crises” mantra, which is rooted in a mix of stereotypes propagated by media, policy wonks, corporations and thinktanks. In fact, rather than bemoaning population aging, we need to urgently address two issues in a positive way. First, we need to strengthen our public medicare system — a system which I support from my own positive health experiences and those of my friends and from studies I have read. Second, we need to develop a national home and community care policy, as well as one for national pharmacare.
