Q: What is Ageism Awareness Day?
A: Ageism Awareness Day is October 9th and is a day to bring awareness to the impact of ageism in our society. The American Society on Aging (ASA) is leading the 2024 Ageism Awareness Day campaign.
Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards oneself or others based on age. This means it is about how we think, feel and act based on age. While we commonly think this is about how young people act towards older people, it really affects everyone’s way of thinking. Even older adults can internalize these feelings and find it changes the way they see themselves and their peers.
Working in the field of aging, I have often heard people in their 90’s say they do not belong among “old folks.” While I think it is wonderful that they feel young, there is something inherently ageist about assuming you cannot enjoy being around older people, regardless of your current age.
Most likely you are aware of how ageism is prevalent in the media. We see marketing campaigns targeted at helping people avoid aging, and older adults are often portrayed with negative stereotypes.
But ageism harms us in other ways, including in healthcare. Older adults are less likely to be included in clinical trials, and ageism can even change the way older adults view and receive healthcare. Many assume things like aches, pain and even depression are a normal part of aging and do not seek help.
Geriatricians, doctors that focus on the care of older adults, are paid less compared to other areas of practice. According to the American Geriatrics Society, Geriatricians represent less than 1% of all physicians in the country.
Aging stereotypes are often imprinted on young children and reinforced throughout a lifetime. A 2020 poll found that 82% of adults ages 50–80 experience ageism daily. And yet, those who have a positive view of aging have better health outcomes and are even shown to have longer lifespans.
We can all do our part to end ageism. Start by reflecting on your own internal biases. Challenge the stereotypes you are holding onto and make a commitment to change them.
Once you are more aware of how ageism influences you, then be mindful to watch your language and avoid contributing to ageist remarks. When you hear others say something negative, point it out in a gentle way. Create a conversation with them around ageism and ask them to reflect on it as well.
We want to live in an age friendly community. It takes time but we can each be a catalyst for change. The more you talk and think about it the more you will start to notice the ageist transgressions all around you.
For example, in my work we were taught the term “Silver Tsunami” to refer to the shift in the population as the number of older adults increases drastically. Recently, this is being replaced by the term “age wave.” The idea of using a tsunami as a metaphor for people aging is like equating aging to a natural disaster. It does not have a good connotation. By changing the language, it maintains the concept of the shift in demographics while taking out the negative association.
In ways like this we show that we can change the way we talk and think about aging. We can all do our part to end ageism. Aging should be celebrated and reframed as a beautiful process. It can bring with it a greater sense of self and others, a depth of life experiences, valuable perspectives, and wisdom.
Martha Shapiro can be reached at Senior Concerns at 805-497-0189 or by email at mshapiro@seniorconcerns.org.
