International Women’s Day (Mar. 8) invites us to celebrate progress, leadership, and bold achievement from women around the world. But it is also a moment to pause and honor a quieter, enduring force: the everyday wisdom of older women. We see this wisdom in kitchens, living rooms, and shared routines every day. It lives in practical advice, emotional steadiness, and the small decisions that help families endure change with dignity.
Shaping the local and the global
Around the world, older women are often seen as anchors of community and continuity. Research has found that women are integral to families’ well-being, from early education and healthcare to financial stability and resilience. They also shape decision-making for societal harmony by actively taking part in community organizations and local governance. In many cultures, older women:
- Serve as storytellers, passing down history and values that strengthen identity.
- Share practical knowledge, like food preparation, health practices, and conflict resolution, through observation and repetition.
- Model emotional resilience by adapting to loss, scarcity, migration, or caregiving responsibilities.
These forms of wisdom are rarely written down, yet they shape how families respond to challenge and change.
Most profound influences begin at home and radiate outward; even those who lead on the world stage start with immediate needs or questions:
- Wangari Maathai from Kenya transformed lived experience into community action by founding the Pan African Green Belt Movement. She empowered rural women to plant trees, restore land, and earn income; by doing so, they improved food security, environmental health, and women’s local standing. Her work helped families thrive while influencing global environmental policy, eventually earning her the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize at age 64.
- “Nobody ever, ever, ever does anything on their own.” Canadian Inuit elder leader Maggie Hodgson has played a critical role in improving the health and wellness of Indigenous people, especially in addiction awareness. She galvanized grassroots movements like National Addictions Awareness Week, National Day for Healing and Reconciliation, the Nechi Institute, and Healing Our Spirit Worldwide specifically for her Indigenous community.
- Australian and molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn’s foundational discovery about the structure of chromosomes happened early in her career; but the implications of that discovery didn’t happen until she was close to 70. Her studies helped shift global conversations about stress, resilience, and healthy aging. And her work reframed aging not as inevitable decline, but as a biological process influenced by environment, relationships, and emotional health.
Although these women lived in different continents, they share a common thread: wisdom earned through lived experience, applied steadily, and shared generously.
Honoring wise women
Grand gestures are nice, but true respect begins with intention. Here are three authentic ways to celebrate and honor the older women in your life:
- Create space for teaching, not just helping. Invite older women to show how they do something: cook a familiar dish, manage a household rhythm, or soothe stress. This affirms their expertise and reinforces their role as contributors, not dependents.
- Preserve stories as living history. Record conversations, recipes, or traditions in simple ways; use audio notes, journals, or shared family documents. This honors memory while reinforcing that their experiences matter now, not just “for later.”
- Support independence with dignity. Respecting wisdom also means supporting autonomy. Personalized in-home care, like that provided through Home Care Assistance, allows older women to remain the decision-makers through support that fits their values and routines.
Of course, one of the best ways to honor someone, is to be present with them consistently. Look at visits as an opportunity to learn from the older women in your life. For open and meaningful conversations, try these questions to get insights that often go unspoken.
- What did you learn early in life that still guides you today? This question illuminates core values and foundational lessons that shaped lifelong decision-making.
- Who taught you the most, and how did they do it? Ask this to better understand intergenerational teaching styles and the importance of role modeling.
- What was a difficult season that changed how you see the world? This question highlights resilience strategies and emotional growth through challenge.
- What everyday skills do you think are undervalued now? To find new things to learn, discover the practical wisdom that may otherwise be overlooked.
- What do you hope younger generations never forget? This question captures legacy thinking and what truly matters from their perspective.
Everyday wisdom does not shout; it steadies. As we recognize International Women’s Day, honoring older women means listening closely, preserving what they’ve built, and creating environments where their voices continue to guide family and community life.
Women outlive men by about five years. By 2050, women are expected to make up 55% of the world’s 2 billion people age 65 and older. At Home Care Assistance, we believe that when older women are supported with respect and dignity, their wisdom continues to shape the world – one conversation, one choice, and one family at a time. How can we help honor the older women in your life?
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Sources: Nobel Prize; Canadian Geographic; STAT News; Social Sciences & Humanities Open; United Nations