Senior, not always senior

While employed as an Advisor in a company in Sydney I was promoted to Senior Business Advisor. A well-respected advance in my career - rewarded with too much bubbly that evening with friends and colleagues. 

‘Senior’ - means higher up the work food chain, more money and new business cards. This change in status you tell people about and feel a sense of pride when you announce at meetings and to others your position at work. You find yourself quickly changing your email signature and then emailing yourself to make sure it looks as good as sounds .... Miss Jones Senior Business Advisor. Yep, it looks good. 

On a recent holiday with my boyfriend in England we drove down to Bath. On the way down I saw a building with a sign board naming the building 'Sunrise'. This building was for, as it so correctly pointed out under the word 'Sunrise, Senior Living'. 

Now I think their understanding of word 'senior' is different to mine. Senior at Sunrise means an older member of the community rather than in my workplace where a Senior could actually be younger than you. At Sunrise you have to be senior to be allowed to be there…. no chance of personal advancement here! You've already made it!  

When thinking about the different interpretation given to this word by society, I start to wonder whether the term senior in a workplace is somewhat discriminatory for both the older person who is with the title senior and the junior who did not get the title senior. Also, maybe real seniors, those at Sunrise, think this term is misleading. If they are a senior citizen do they not deserve to get more money than regular citizens, they should get an office, a secretary and a chance to tell others what to do? 

Because I like the way I sound as Senior Business Advisor I say let's stop using this word ‘senior’ for other members of our community and call a spade a spade - Sunrise.... For Older People (over the age of 70).