A Credo for Persons That are Elderly

I am a person that is elderly,

not an elderly person.

I am not “an old man”;

rather, I am man that is old.

My value is not reducible to my age,

but to being a person.

I am a person,

even when I can no longer perform the functions

I did in earlier years.

My dignity consists in whom I am,

not merely in what I do.

My vision, hearing and strength will decline with age,

but my “I” will not decline with them.

My humanity will never decline.

I am and will always remain a person.