How many of us can honestly say we don’t hold stereotypes about aging?  I am guilty as charged! When I read the definitions below from the American Society on Aging informative website, (https://www.asaging.org/ageism-awareness) I could see myself at various points in my life! Hopefully, as I become older, I am also wiser! There are many forms of ageism such as:

• Internalized Ageism: how we feel about ourselves as aging people as well as older adults who marginalize and discriminate against other older people
• Cultural Ageism: the everyday, invisible, and profoundly ingrained and normalized negative messages about aging and old people embedded in movies, TV, songs, jokes and more.
• Implicit Ageism: the unconscious bias that includes attitude’s, feelings, and behaviors toward people of other age groups that operated without conscious awareness or intention.
• Benevolent Ageism: 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.

Take a few minutes and ask yourself if anyone has ever called you “honey?”   Have you ever felt a doctor did not really listen to you or a loved one based on age stereotypes, perhaps even denied preventative care due to age?

If you spend a few hours on mainstream TV, you will see countless commercials that make fun of older people and expect you to laugh.   Have you watched any of the new show, “The Golden Bachelor?” If so, you may feel it is a show that finally acknowledges older people who want love, sex, and connection, or you may feel it is more about a network trying to boost its ratings and showcasing older people at their worst! Lots of strong opinions out there! Email me yours….

No matter what you think, Ageism may be the most prevalent prejudice in our country today. It cuts across all race lines, cultural divides, and even political parties! Think about this: ageism even hurts our economy! According to AARP, an estimated $850 billion in lost gains to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a result of involuntary retirement, underemployment and unemployment among older workers.  They also estimate that $63 billion in healthcare costs in 2020 were due to ageism.

We all know change begins with ourselves. Not just how we think and act towards others, but especially about our own “self-talk.” Older individuals with more positive self -perceptions of aging live 7.5 years longer than those with a less positive self-perception. By now we should all know that optimism has been linked to a more positive self-perception of aging which results in better heath!

So, let us be mindful of our thoughts, and our words. Work on those gratitude affirmations or write one for yourself if you’ve never tried it. Don’t be afraid to call out any ageist remarks.  Make a list of all the things you LIKE about being older…and add to it every day.

Star Bradbury

Senior Living Strategies