Elinor Guggenheimer is an example of how much one individual with
an unrelenting passion for social justice can accomplish. She has
been an activist for more than half a century, working
to improve conditions especially for women, children, and the
elderly. From the founding of the Council of Senior Centers and Services
of New York City in 1979 to the founding of New York Women's Agenda
in 1992, Ms. Guggenheimer has energized others to push aside barriers
that stood in the way of people achieving their highest potential.
Now 90, she has been showered with numerous honors. Ladies Home
Journal named her one of the 100 Most Important Women in the United
States. Crain's New York Business Magazine deemed her One of
the Most Powerful Women in New York.
QUOTE:
"We haven’t scratched the surface in understanding aging.
There’s been an enormous amount of study done on child development
but there’s been so little done on aging and it’s a big
piece of life. Old age has been the most neglected aspect of life—a
huge number of years. Most people describe it as needy. I think we
need to study how old age can be useful to society. But we haven’t
done that. We’ve just washed them out. When they’re a certain
age they’re "useless." It’s very stupid and very
wasteful." |
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