Does ageism matter? A few jokes and memes. People poking fun at their own infirmities? Should I lighten up?
It matters because ageism is the last “acceptable” prejudice. It occupies our society, our workplaces, our government, and is so invasive that we don’t recognize it a lot of the time. It becomes an accepted norm. The way it is.
The message is clear. Ageing is bad; avoid it at all costs. And if you are old, you are a lesser being. Your days of making a meaningful contribution are over. We will love you, possibly patronize you, and think you are “cute.” As a society, we will make jokes, which seems alright because you are laughing, too.
This message is wrong.
Becca Levy, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health and of psychology at Yale University, works to chip away at age stereotypes with a fact-checking approach for public awareness. In her recent book, Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live, she took aim at more than a dozen beliefs about getting older. “In every case, I found information that not only contradicted the negative stereotype but also highlighted a strength that comes with aging,” she said. Take the stereotype that people become less creative as they get older. Researching her book, Levy found a host of examples of artists and musicians who became more creative and more generative later in life. 1
Workplace ageism
- Affects hiring decisions. Older applicants receive fewer call backs. Getting a job in older middle age to older age is much more difficult.
- Mandatory retirement regulation. Older people receive greater scrutiny regarding their abilities.
- Training opportunities are denied and older people are passed over for promotions.
- Stereotypes (such as older people are slower, less willing to try new ideas, unable to embrace new technology) are embraced.
Ageism in Healthcare
- Rationing care or treating (or not treating) people differently based on age.
- Most physicians don’t receive proper training in the mental health care of older people.
- A common assumption in the medical community is that depression is a normal effect of aging.
Media and Social Media
- Advertisers barraging us with the message that youth and early middle age is preferable.
- Depicting seniors as bumbling and incompetent.
- Constant messages regarding aging: buy this product, do this exercise, eat this food to look and feel younger
Ageism in government
- Governments overlook older population in policy making, resulting in gaps in the system, such as inadequate long-term-care or insufficient options for support as people age.
- The long-term-care system in Canada which funnels people into less desirable places to live because of long waiting lists in the more desirable ones.
- Questioning older public servants regarding their competency based on age.
In researching ageism, I found a huge spider’s web which reached into every part of our society. It’s hard to pin down because it’s subtle, accepted and incredibly pervasive. What can we do?
That’s next week’s topic.
- https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/03/cover-new-concept-of-aging