Ending Ageism Through Awareness and Action
Although the term “ageism” was coined over 50 years ago, it seems to at long last be entering mainstream conversation. Bias against an individual because of their age may be a modern concept but it’s just as reprehensible as sexism, racism and other types of discrimination.
Given that Rhode Island has the highest proportion of adults aged 85 and up in the US, it’s a topic that matters deeply here.
A recent review of studies found clear evidence that ageism is linked to poor health outcomes in older adults, most significantly through denied access to health services and treatments.
Impact of ageism on health in 11 health domains: Distribution of studies. Source: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0220857
What can you do to push back against ageism when you see it or experience it?
Avoid assumptions
Be mindful of making ageist assumptions in your own relationships, like these:
“We may attribute loss of memory due to aging when Dad misplaces his car keys when in fact many younger people also cannot remember their most recent location. Younger older adults may decide not to attend a seniors centre because only ‘old’ people go there. Older adults may not be invited on an outing because younger family members assume they would not be interested or would be unable to participate.”
Flip the script – or just ditch it
Anti-ageism advocate Ashton Applewhite has a good suggestion:
“You look great for your age” is one of her favorites. Her reply, “You also look great for your age.” An alternative is just to say, “You look great.” Forget about the “age” word.
Eliminate elderspeak
“Elderspeak” is essentially babytalk directed at older adults, and it’s demeaning and condescending. Here are some examples of elderspeak (the whole article is worth a read):
- Speaking very slowly and loudly, or a sing-song voice
- Using “we” instead of “you”
- Inflecting statements to sound like a question
Address it matter-of-factly
It’s tempting to bite your tongue or be polite when faced with ageism, but experts say it’s important to call it out. A recent article on how to deal with ageism from healthcare professionals offers this suggestion:
“You can tell the nurse ‘I acknowledge you’re trying to be kind to me but it makes me feel small and unimportant. Please call me this [insert a name] instead.”
Ageism didn’t begin overnight, and it will take time to eliminate. One positive sign that things are changing is the re-naming of Rhode Island’s Division of Elderly Affairs to The Office of Healthy Aging.
People of all ages need to watch out for and work to stop ageism. After all, as Applewhite has noted: “Ageism is prejudice against our own future selves.”