When you come across someone older you may notice they can become quite chatty. Older people have a lot to say in most cases and you find yourself stuck in an awkward position.
In this article, you will learn the top reasons why an older person may attempt to chop your ear off every time you are around each other. Consider yourself lucky to be on the receiving end of a nice long chat.
Why Do Old People Talk So Much?
1. Asking Questions
Many people know what will happen if you ask an older person a question about their life, they will not stop talking. Older people are typically very respectful and want to give a full answer to your questions.
Be ready to hear a story if you ask an older person a personal question. Many times, an older person has been through whatever you are asking about so they will have a story or two about any situation.
If you have a minute for ten, ask an older person a question and listen. Sometimes older people go from quiet to lighting up when someone asks them to smother and wants to hear what they are saying.
2. Generation Without Technology
Your grandparents were raised in a much different time than you were as far as technology. They were not sitting around playing on phones to test each other as they were growing up.
Grandparents would sit around the face to face telling stories of what happened during the day. Generations before you would sit at the dinner table together talking without interruption.
In today’s world, everyone moves at a quite different pace so it can be easy to forget to stop and listen to each other. You will be surprised at what you may learn about each other during those times.
3. Lack Of Social Awareness
Sometimes older people can be a little socially stunned in public settings. This means that many older people talk to strangers and do not notice cues that the stranger wants to leave the conversation.
In many cases, it will not matter where they are from doctors’ appointments to the grocery store an older person may corner people to tell stories. Older people do not mean any harm.
Grandparents are simple to use to salon gossip from back in the day. With far fewer people and a lack of things to do outside of communication, they would stop and catch up in public often.
4. Life Is Short
As people start to reach a certain age, they can have a realization that their life has flown by, and they want to make the most out of the rest of their life.
When an older person stops you to tell you that your pregnant belly is beautiful, or your shirt reminds them of an outfit from decades ago they are simply making the most out of the time they have left.
While this may seem annoying for those that are randomly stopped by a stranger to have a conversation it can make their day.
5. Living A Long Life
When someone has been on this earth for over half of a century, they can have a lot of stories to tell. Many experienced traumas when they were younger that were too hard to talk about then.
As people age, they think about their past a lot and it can feel good to get their stories out. People from concentration camps sometimes kept it hidden until they were elderly.
You never know what someone’s story is. It may be surprising that the older man next to you flew a fighter plane in the war while the older lady was an actor back in the day.
If you think about the fact that older people have sometimes lived two or three of your current lifetimes it is eye-opening. Everything older people have seen and experienced could fill novels most of the time.
6. Loneliness
Many older people have lived so long that about everyone around them is long gone. Whether you see them as lucky for living so long or not it can be quite lonely when everyone has passed away.
A world where your parents, siblings, and potentially their spouse is gone is very lonely. They may sit in their homes all day alone just waiting for any form of communication from the outside world.
Sometimes grandparents see children in public and it reminds them of their family that they do not get to see often. While you never need to allow a stranger to touch your child letting them speak is enough.
7. Losing Memory
In some cases where an elderly person’s mind is different from it used to be, they can re-tell stories often. While this is fine for strangers it can be hard on a family who are around often.
Sometimes a family will remind them they have told this story before and get annoyed while others just sit quietly and listen. You never know how long you have with an elderly person, appreciate it.
8. Love Makes People Chatty
If you find your grandparents talking your ear off, it could be because they love you and simply want to speak to you. Older people have stories to tell anyone who will listen to them.
It may seem overwhelming to hear so many stories but try and think about the years from that moment. Ten years of life can change drastically, and you will be thankful you heard their stories while you can.
9. Older People Are Bored
Everyone has moments of boredom, and the average person might jump in the car to do something the elderly can’t. The elderly also has trouble with technology in some cases.
While you may watch Netflix or play on your phone an older person might not be able to do the same. Keep older people company, play games they use to play, or watch older shows.
Older people need to be stimulated and have fun too. If their idea of fun is talking to you, let them.
10. Older People Are Wiser
When you are making decisions in life chances are someone much older than you have been through the same situation. Asking the older people in your life for help is beneficial.
There is a reason that people say you grow wiser with age, you learn as you go in life. Older people love to advise whether you like it or not sometimes. You can listen or choose your road.
11. Speaking Slowly
Sometimes it can seem like older people are talking a lot because they are talking very slowly. It may take time to get their stories out which can seem annoying to you if you are a stranger or busy.
If you are busy, it is perfectly fine to politely say you need to go. On the off chance, you have free time take a minute or two to hear their story even if it takes longer than it should.
Older people also tend to ramble and get way off of the subject. Something that catches their eye may remind them of a completely different story, be patient with them.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why old people are so rude, why babies stare at you, and why everyone is so rude.
Conclusion
No matter the reason behind an older person not being able to stop a conversation just sit back and listen. There are sometimes when you will need to stop the conversation to go on about your day.
Many older people just want someone to share their stores with before it is too late. Whether it’s in a grocery store or your grandparent, take a minute to listen to them get their story out.