Sensuous Seniors : Calendar ‘Girls’ 50 to 73 Give Lie to the Stereotype of Aging’s Numbers Game

Tired of being represented by spokesmen for Geritol, an entrepreneur in his golden years has compiled a calendar of women who, at ages 50 to 73, are young enough to get slightly giddy at the idea of being a calendar girl “at my age.”

The Sensuous Seniors 1990 calendar, featuring 12 San Joaquin Valley women, demonstrates there’s more to advancing age than sleep aids and laxatives, says the calendar’s creator, 53-year-old Max Wegerbauer.

And there’s pleasing irony to enlightening consumers to the breadth of middle-age with a calendar--the very reminder of advancing years.

Says Maxine Fredericks, the 73-year-old model for May, “Just because the calendar says you’re a certain age doesn’t mean you’re old.”

As 50-year-old Roberta Collins demonstrates on the July display, 20-year-olds aren’t the only ones whose figures deserve to be shown off in a bathing suit.

Meet Miss January, Marlene Hansen, a professional model and manager of an American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, reclining in the back of a limousine and toasting her 53 years with a glass of champagne.

“At one time I thought of using glamorous people like Jane Fonda, Tina Turner and Lena Horne. But, one, I couldn’t afford them. And people would say they were the exception to the rule,” said Wegerbauer, who produced the calendar that is available in six states.

But, as Wegerbauer found, the only rule for aging gracefully is staying active and keeping a positive outlook--a life style not confined to those who earn their livings in more glamorous professions.

Wegerbauer’s Sensuous Seniors include a former skater with the Ice Capades, an artist who likes to lift weights and play the flute, and a school district employee who begins her day by bouncing on a mini-trampoline.

“Because ‘senior’ implies sedentary, our goal is to change the image of seniors. We want ‘senior’ to imply living life to the fullest,” Wegerbauer said.

“I think what they portray is the positive side of what’s going on. They have a wisdom and a view toward life that is much broader than what you have earlier in life. As seniors, we have more compassion, we have more time to love.”

Aside from active life styles, the 12 women also shared experiences that persuaded them it was time to let the rest of the world know that their days aren’t consumed with thoughts of retirement, illness or the fit of their dentures.

“When I turned 55, I went into a restaurant and I looked at the menu and saw, ‘Senior Citizen Special, 55 and older.’ I thought, ‘How degrading,’ ” said 59-year-old Marion Pistoresi, who is pictured decked out in leather and straddling a motorcycle.

“It puts you in a different league, that you’re not capable, you’re over the hill. I can do anything a young person can,” said Pistoresi, who helps run family-owned vineyards in Madera County.

Wegerbauer said his jolt came when, at 50, he received a brochure from AARP, the American Assn. for Retired Persons.

“When I turned 50, I just started thinking differently,” he said. “I wanted to make a statement about us seniors. We are active, vibrant, passionate, alive and in control of our lives. And, if we want to be, we are glamorous.”

But maintaining the qualities of youth is still only half of being a Sensuous Senior. Many of the women say they appreciate what the years have given them.

“There’s a better peace of mind and the wisdom you gain over the years makes it easier to get through the day-to-day things. There’s a maturity,” said Carol Alverson, 55.