Seniors Aren't Sexy

Seniors Aren’t Sexy  - But They Should Be

Now before everyone gets upset, allow me to explain.

A few weeks ago, I was on a Zoom call with a professional in the seniors’ sector. We were talking about what older adults really need and why it’s so hard to get attention for it. At one point, I said - half-joking, half-serious - “Seniors aren’t sexy.”...I wasn’t talking about people. I was talking about the business of aging.

The business of aging isn’t flashy. It doesn’t trend on social media or get venture capital excited. You don’t see policy makers lining up to champion “senior issues,” or entrepreneurs pitching products that make aging easier - at least not with the same enthusiasm they bring to the latest app or AI.

In government circles, aging is too often seen as a liability - a cost line on a budget sheet. In business, it’s viewed as a market that’s “hard to reach” or “not digitally savvy.” Even in technology, innovation seems to move in the opposite direction of aging - smaller buttons, faster interfaces, and fewer humans to talk to.

But here’s the truth: this so-called “unsexy” sector represents one of the most powerful economic forces in the country. Older Canadians control more than half of the nation’s disposable income. They’re buying homes, funding family inheritances, supporting adult children, and driving demand for housing, healthcare, and services. Yet they’re continually underserved and underrepresented.

And while we scroll past ads for anti-aging creams and fitness apps, we ignore the real conversation - how we’re going to live, care, and plan as we age. The discomfort runs deep. Talking about aging makes people confront their own future, so they delay the planning, the conversations, and the decisions  - until a crisis forces them to act.  Acting on the basis of Circumstances rather than Choice.

That’s the gap we need to close. Because aging isn’t a niche issue. It’s not someone else’s problem. It’s everyone’s future. Your future!

Governments should be investing in solutions that support independence, dignity, and connectedness. Businesses should see aging not as a drain, but as a demographic that’s redefining what retirement, community, and purpose look like. And technology should be catching up to human reality - not leaving it behind.

Even when we consider the abilities of our aging population, we can view it as those financially capable and those who are not.
Those that are financially capable are able to pay for assistance - care - housing - equipment and lifestyle.  While those who are financially dependent (and there is a lot of them) struggle for the basics or to hold on to what they have.  And there we have the challenge, yet not much different from say 20, 30 or 40 year olds, those that can contribute and those that are dependent.

Maybe seniors aren’t “sexy” in the traditional sense. But wisdom, resilience, and living well on your own terms? That’s pretty sexy. The more we talk about it  - the more we normalize planning, adapting, and preparing - the better we make life for ourselves and the generations we built.

So let’s make aging matter again. Have the conversation. Plan ahead.
Because your time is coming  - and you might as well prepare to be a Sexy Senior.

About the Author
Paul Cutajar is the Co-Founder of SeniorCareAccess.com and lead trainer for the Lifestyle55+ Affiliate and MASTER programs. He works with professionals and families navigating the complex world of senior living, care, and transition.