Media and Entertainment for Older Adults in the 21st Century

Pop culture is often dictated by the youth of a society at a given point in time. This can feel exclusionary and intimidating to older generations. However, there are many films, TV shows, media outlets, and books that do a great job of embracing elders, creating content that is palatable for them too.  

 

Movies and Cinema

 The world of film and cinema will always evolve. For some older adults, new films do not always sit right. Experimental cinema and Gen Z rhetoric may often seem too foreign. However, there are films that reach across the larger audience demographics. 

 

Some great films released over the last 10 years that portray ageing and center older people’s experiences include:

1.     The Father (2020): A psychological drama film, this film follows the perspective of a father struggling with dementia. While it is one of the saddest films, it touchingly illustrates loving family relationships and bonds. 

2.     Nomadland (2020): After losing everything in the Great Depression, Fern travels across the United States searching for her next purpose. 

3.     The Age of Adaline (2015): Depicting a woman who mysteriously doesn’t age after surviving an accident, the story follows Adaline’s immortal journey.  

4.     The Farewell (2019): After learning that their grandmother does not have long left to live, a Chinese family returns to their roots to make amends among each other. 

5.     Boyhood (2014): Following a boy over a ten-year period, Boyhood depicts the coming-of-age story of an adolescent growing up in America

 

Directed and written in the 21st Century, these films also illustrate generational conflict. This can be helpful in bridging the gap between generational differences, elucidating societal views for the younger individuals and older people alike.  

 

Television

Often, newer TV Shows are tailored to the younger generations. The rise of streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max and Hulu have rendered regular television obsolete. For older adults, cable networks were the primary mediums of watching TV series. This change excludes many from accessing and understanding newer television shows. Moreover, some TV shows portray older people in the negative light, often making them the antagonists of plotlines. 

 

Nonetheless, there are TV series that capture the process of ageing, illustrate seniors’ experiences, and explain generational conflict. Some good examples include:

1.     The White Lotus (2021): A comedy-drama mini-series, this show follows the stories of different characters staying at a resort. 

2.     Gracie and Frankie (2015): This show follows the friendship of Gracie and Frankie who unexpectedly form a friendship after their husbands fall in love with each other. 

3.     The Crown (2016): From weddings to royal deliberations, The Crown is a historical drama that accurately depicts the British royal family’s ventures after Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne.   

4.     Only Murders in the Building (2021): After three strangers become invested in a crime in their building, they embark on a journey of finding clues and following suspicions.

5.     Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living (2020): One of the funniest sitcoms, this show follows a family that runs a retirement home in Georgia. 

 

Like the previously mentioned films, these TV series portray modern-day challenges faced by older generations. They are also comedic and light-hearted, making them especially desirable for entertainment. 

 

Books

Books are among some of the most timeless forms of entertainment. With a large array of genres and audiences, authors are continuously serving diverse groups of people. Unlike film and TV, there is less pressure to adhere to trends and popular aesthetics when it comes to writing novels. Thus, the world of literature remains an inclusive environment for many.  

 

Some of the most popular novels among older adults released over the last ten years include:

1.     Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler: A man's life is turned upside down after his friend requires housing assistance and a young man claims to be his son.

2.     In Five Years by Rebecca Serle: Following the life of an organized lawyer, the novel tells the story of how this lawyer’s five-year plan gets disrupted. 

3.     Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: A crime murder mystery, the novel follows two timelines which mysteriously coincide. 

4.     The Book About Getting Older by Dr. Lucy Pollock: An introspective, honest and insightful guide, this book gives an overview of how to deal with getting older. 

5.     A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: The story pivots between a man’s childhood and current life at 59 years old, following his growth and challenges.

 

Ranging from fiction novels to self-help books, these suggestions will shed positive light on aging. All written within the last ten years, this selection of contemporary works will make older people feel less isolated and more understood in the current world. 

 

Even though younger generations dictate pop culture and popular media outlets, there are still options for older adults. With proper selection, older adults can engage with new forms of entertainment with just as much fulfillment as younger people.

— Eugenia Shakhnovskaya