‘It makes us sound old’: Boomers are desperately trying to cancel the word ‘senior’ and TikTok thinks it’s peak boomer behavior

Baby boomers across United States are pushing back against being called “seniors,” according to a viral TikTok video that has sparked widespread discussion about age-related terminology. The movement reflects a broader cultural shift as the largest generation in American history enters their later years while trying to maintain a youthful image.

TikTok creator Emmaline Childs brought attention to this viral TikTok trend after spotting a billboard with her mother. Her video, which has been viewed over 61,200 times, shows how older Americans are rejecting traditional age labels in favor of more neutral terms.

“You know, the boomers are phasing out the word senior, like senior citizens,” Childs says in the TikTok clip. Her mom explained why: “Because it makes us sound old.” Childs laughed in response, telling her mom she is old, but her mother stood firm, saying, “We don’t want to be reminded about it.”

How retirement communities are changing their language

The shift away from the word “senior” is already visible in how retirement-focused businesses market themselves. Childs noticed that “anything that used to be a senior center, now it’s like a community center or an active living center.” Even 55+ neighborhoods are being rebranded as “lifestyle communities” instead of senior communities.

This rebranding reflects boomers’ desire to stay active and avoid stereotypes associated with aging. Many facilities now emphasize wellness, adventure, and independence rather than traditional retirement concepts. The change goes beyond simple marketing, representing how this generation views their later years differently than previous generations.

Research shows that baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are indeed living more active lifestyles than earlier generations of retirees. Many continue working past traditional retirement age, pursue new hobbies, and maintain busy social schedules. This active approach to aging may explain their resistance to terminology that suggests slowing down or becoming less engaged with life.

The push has also highlighted lesser-known generational divisions within the boomer cohort. Childs’ mother identified as “Generation Jones,” a term for people born between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s who fall between baby boomers and Generation X. This microgeneration, coined by cultural commentator Jonathan Pontell, refers to those who came of age during different cultural moments than early boomers, experiencing events like Watergate rather than Woodstock as defining moments.