October 9th is Ageism Awareness Day. Did you know that the most widespread and socially accepted form of prejudice is ageism?
Ageism is defined by the World Health Organization as “the stereotypes (how we think), prejudices (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age.”
There are many forms of ageism, including:
• Internalized ageism, meaning how we feel about ourselves as aging people, and in which older adults marginalize and discriminate against other older people.
• Cultural ageism, that is, the everyday, invisible, profoundly ingrained and normalized negative messages about aging and old people embedded in movies, TV, songs, jokes, etc.
• Implicit ageism, the unconscious bias that includes attitudes, feelings and behaviors toward people of other age groups that operate without conscious awareness or intention.
• Benevolent ageism, that is, patronizing, paternalistic beliefs or behaviors that older people need to be protected and taken care of by younger people, because they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves.
Ageism intersects with and exacerbates all the other “isms” including racism, sexism and ableism. Multiple intersecting forms of bias compound disadvantage and worsen the effects of ageism on individuals’ health and well-being. Ageism affects our health and longevity. Older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging live 7.5 years longer than those with a less positive self-perception of aging. Also, higher optimism has been associated with more positive self-perception of aging, which can lead to positive health consequences.
Ageism and age stereotypes are often internalized at a young age, long before they are even relevant. Ageism implies that as soon as a person can be described as old they are automatically considered of little value, or a burden on society, or slow to accept change, or unable to look up at themselves, or a whole myriad of negative images. This is just not so and couldn’t be further from the truth.
Ageism harms our financial well-being. Older workers face longer periods of unemployment, discrimination during the hiring process, and fewer professional development opportunities.
Ageism harms our economy. Ageism is estimated to cost billions annually in the United States from age discrimination and unnecessary healthcare costs.
Ageism in media remains pervasive. One study found that only 1.5% of characters on American television were older people, and most of them had minor roles and were often portrayed for comic effect, drawing on stereotypes of physical, cognitive and sexual ineffectiveness.
The sooner we combat the negative societal perceptions of older people as non-valuable and non-productive, the sooner the off-putting label called ageism will be minimized. Older people are part of the cycle of life and positive perceptions should replace the traditional pessimistic stereotype of the aging. We are in the midst of a longevity revolution as average life expectancy increases. Instead of the rare individual reaching age 85 and older, most of us have an excellent chance of making it to this age. Today’s active adult is more vital, remaining mentally stimulated and physically active as a result of participating in various recreational, educational and social activities.
This is a time to acknowledge the significant contributions of older adults and renew our commitment to the well being of older adults and the living of their golden years in good health.
Not only are people living longer, a greater percentage of the population is older, and that trend will continue, given the national “Elder Boom” that we are in the midst of. The over-65 population in the United States is projected to double and the number of Americans over 85 is expected to more than quadruple. There will soon be more older people in the United States than younger people.
Older adults are a growing and increasingly vital part of our country. The contributions they make to our communities are varied, deeply rooted, and include influential roles in the nation’s economy, politics, and the arts. I have the pleasure of spending my days with many, many older adults who have made a real difference and a distinct positive contribution to this community.