Introduction
Ageism has been called the last socially acceptable “-ism.” The term (also spelled agism) was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler and is patterned after the terms sexism, racism and homophobia. While the term can be used to describe oppression of the younger by the older, it is most commonly associated with how society negatively views older adults and seniors.
Stereotyping is when a whole group is thought of as a single unit. Unlike some Eastern and Native American cultures that revere and elevate elders, most Western cultures hold negative thoughts and feelings towards aging. Examples of negative stereotyping of seniors include:
- Thinking that older people can’t learn new things or modern technology (“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”)
- Making jokes or rude comments about the elderly, even if they are meant to be a compliment , such as saying, “you look good for your age.” (Just as saying, “you look good for…a woman” or “you look good…for a minority, is offensive.”)
- Thinking that all retired people are the same, even though retirement age can span over 40 years (Imagine thinking everyone in their 20’s was the same as everyone in their 60’s!).
Prejudice is an emotion or feeling associated with another group. Examples include most media portrayals of seniors, especially when it comes to woman. Although things in Hollywood are slowly changing, youth and youth-culture are still the standards of beauty and attractiveness. There is also “benevolent prejudice,” where older adults are pitied or patronized, which can be just as damaging. Examples include calling an elderly couple “cute” or speaking baby-talk to a senior.
Discrimination is the act of denying or limiting opportunities based on stereotyping and prejudice. It occurs most commonly in the workplace in the form of not hiring a qualified older person or attempting to replace an older, higher paid worker with a younger, lower-paid one. Mandatory retirement ages were also a form of discrimination until Federal law made them illegal (with exceptions for jobs involving public safety) in 1967.
Anti-ageism: How Does Ageism Affect Seniors?
Like all “-isms,” ageism is hurtful and harmful to its targets. It is something that everyone will encounter as they grow older, and it will compound the harm already done to woman, minorities and the LGBTQ community. Becca Levy , Professor of Epidemiology at Yale University and the author of Breaking the Code, How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & How Well You Will Live, describes how stereotypes about aging become ingrained in our psyches and the harm that this causes in her research paper Stereotype Embodiment:
From our earliest childhood through our entire adulthood, old age is often portrayed in a negative light. Children’s stories depict seniors as evil and ugly, such as Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz, doddering, like the cartoon character Mr. Magoo, or stubborn and crotchety like Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies. In adulthood, the media portrays aging as something to be shamed.
Men are supposed to be athletic, virile and powerful. Woman are bombarded with ads for “anti-aging” cosmetics and plastic surgery. According to USA Today, only 10 % of movies include men 60 and older; only 6 % included female characters over 60.
When we are younger, we generally do not question or examine negative stereotypes because we aren’t the targets. Younger people might even encourage them because they may gain a benefit, such as when a younger employee gets promoted over an older one because of age discrimination. But over time, these stereotypes become internalized; instead of being the targeter, we become the target, even to ourselves. This process has negative consequences on our self-perception, which can impact both our mental and physical health.
Internalizing negative stereotypes can have a profound impact on our mental health. It can lead to feelings of unworthiness, uselessness and depression. Even the will to live can be compromised. Negative age stereotypes about the inevitability of disease and frailty can cause older adults to believe that preventative measures such as exercise or a health diet are futile. It then becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. While physiological and mental declines are an
inevitable biological process, sociological and psychological influences exacerbate and speed up the process.
The effects of internalized negative stereotypes are damaging in other ways as well. Levy found that people who had a positive view of aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those who saw aging in a negative light. This can be attributed to several health risks caused by internalizing ageism (Longevity Increased by Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging)
- When people hold negative stereotypes about aging while young, they are twice as likely to have cardiovascular events such as heart failure, stroke or heart attacks when they get older, and at earlier ages (Age Stereotypes Held Earlier in Life Predict Cardiovascular Events in Later Life).
- Middle aged people who had no cognitive impairment but who had negative views on aging were more likely to develop brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease later in life. And the more negative the views, the worse those brain changes were (A Culture-Brain Link: Negative Age Stereotypes Predict Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers).
- A study of people 70 and older found that those who had positive stereotypes were much more likely to recover from a disabling event (such as an accident or illness that limited or prevented essential activities such as bathing, dressing or walking) than those with negative age stereotypes (Association Between Positive Age Stereotypes and Recovery From Disability in Older Persons).
All of these factors are evidence that negative stereotypes, from seemingly innocent messages on birthday greeting cards that make fun of the recipient’s age to outright job discrimination, have a negative impact on our health and well-being as we age.
Anti-Ageism: So What Can Be Done?
Societal Change
Just as the Civil Rights and Woman’s Liberation movements of the 1960’s highlighted the need for change, the time has come to combat ageism.
The United Nations has declared this decade (2021-2030) the “Decade of Healthy Aging,” with the goal of changing how we think, feel and act towards age and ageism. The aims of the UN Global Campaign to Combat Ageism, according to
the Global Report on Ageism are to:
- Raise awareness about the global nature, scale and impacts of ageism.
- Draw attention to the need to prevent ageism and present effective intervention strategies.
- Call for action across sectors and stakeholders, including government, private sector and educational institutions.
Individual Responsibility
Stay Positive
In one of Levy’s studies, it was shown that positive age stereotypes, especially subliminal positive messages, can counteract the effects of negative age stereotypes. Subjects between the ages of 61 and 99 were subliminally shown positive words such as “spry” or “creative” on a computer screen. They were also asked to imagine a mentally and physically healthy senior. After eight weeks, the subjects showed a significantly more positive self-image and stronger
physical functioning. Conversely, negative age stereotypes and self-perception weakened. The effects lasted for three weeks after the trial ended and the physical fitness improvement surpassed that of those who did a six month exercise program!
But you don’t need to live in a laboratory to counteract a lifetime of negative age stereotypes. Although they can be rare and difficult to find, there are positive role models in media and entertainment. Here are some examples:
Music
- John Fogerty (I recently saw him in concert and he still puts on a great show at 77)
- Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and Bonnie Raitt are still producing quality music.
- Angela Alvarez was the 2022 Latin Grammy Award Winner for Best New Artist!
Movies
- Up (great to watch with kids)
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (positive portrayals of older adults)
- Minari (my personal favorite)
Television
- Grace and Frankie (starring anti-ageism activist Jane Fonda. On Netflix)
- Only Murders in the Building (good inter-generational cast. On Hulu)
- Last Tango in Halifax (The Daily telegraph calls it “a triumph against TV’s ageism.” On Netflix)
Books
- Find a Way by Diana Nyad (the inspirational story of how Diana Nyad achieved her dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida at age 64.)
- This Chair Rocks by Ashton Applewhite (the inspiration for most of this post is from this book)
- My Teacher by James Ransome (A positive aging children’s book)
Get Involved
Fortunately, the tide is beginning to turn on the bias against aging, and you can be a part of it. Here are three organizations that you can join or support to raise awareness and consciousness in the fight for anti-ageism.
Art Against Ageism is an “alliance of creatives, artists and activists committed to identifying, amplifying and creating artistic endeavors that confront and address damaging stereotypes about age and aging.” If you are a creative, you can submit your artwork, poetry or project that raises awareness of the issues of age and ageism. If not, you can support their projects by buying anti-ageism products such age-friendly greeting cards, art prints and clothing from their website.
Third Act is a non-profit organization that uses the Baby Boom generation’s political and economic clout, plus their energy and experience, to address such issues as climate change, racial justice and income inequality. According to founders Akaya Windwood and Bill McKibban, they “need older people to return to the ‘movement politics’ they helped create.” A big component of their working principles includes supporting
and partnering with younger generations. The young benefit from the older’s experience and legacy. The older are provided with new purpose and meaning in their lives.
The Modern Elder Academy is a community of people in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s (and beyond) whose mission is to reframe midlife from a crisis to a calling. Chip Conley, the founder of MEA, coined the term “modern elder” – someone who is “as curious as they are wise.” While the emphasis of MEA is on navigating midlife transitions, it can benefit those of retirement age as well. One program that I found very interesting was their “Generations Over Dinner” project. The goal is
to bring together as many generations as you can to share a meal and have have meaningful conversations that shift perspectives on aging. As project creator Michael Hebb states, “we’re excited to see what wisdom an 80 year-old can share with an 18 year-old, and just as importantly, what new curiosities a 28 year-old can inspire within an 80 year-old.”
These are just three opportunities to get involved with your community. Volunteering in retirement is another great way to serve as a role model for younger generations by sharing your knowledge and experience. It’s also a fun way to meet other like-minded seniors who enjoy giving back to their communities. For more information on volunteering in retirement, check out this post.
Conclusion
Aging is inevitable, and until recently, so was ageism. From early childhood images of wicked old witches to AARP magazine’s ads for dumb-downed computers and smart phones, we are bombarded with negative and inaccurate stereotypes. Over a lifetime, these stereotypes become self-internalized and cause psychological, mental and physiological harm. But there is hope!
On the individual level, changing negative self-identification to positive ones by using conscious and sub-conscious words and images can improve your psychological self-image, which leads to improved mental and physical health outcomes. This leads to not only longer and healthier lives, but also an enhanced sense of competence, value and quality of life.
And on the societal level, negativity is being replaced by positivity as well. Anti-ageism campaigns by the UN and World Health Organizations are combating ageism by raising awareness of the problem worldwide. Governments are enacting laws prohibiting discrimination based on age. The private sector is seeing the value of how older, more experienced workers can be mentors to younger ones. And, most importantly, older adults are acting as role models
by remaining healthy, active and relevant. As 64 year-old actress Jamie Lee Curtis says, “The word ‘anti-aging’ has to be struck. I am pro-aging. I want to age with intelligence and grace and dignity and verve and energy.” Me, too!