Hello, and welcome to Late Life Insights: A series of short, informational pieces on all things aging. I’m Dr. Lisa Rill, your friendly social gerontologist and Executive Director of Senior Life Source. Today’s topic takes a deep dive into the ways ageism reveals itself through different segments of society.
Society’s view of “old age” has not always kept up with the reality of being old in America. In fact, many current beliefs about aging are based on information that is no longer valid given recent scientific advances. These outdated views contribute to our ageist beliefs, which can be found in every part of our society. It creeps into everything, from the language we use, to our interpersonal relationships, employment, government, entertainment, and even our healthcare system.
Ageism can be categorized into 3 distinct areas: across society, within systems, and between individuals. Here are some examples in each area:
Societal Level
At the societal level ageism appears in public conversations and everyday culture. In practice, it can be translated in many ways including the ageist views of our political leaders and the media’s portrayal of older adults.
Government:
Younger people are expressing frustrations regarding the failure of our political system to tackle the serious threats affecting our society. A major factor of these feelings, for some, is the concern of political leaders’ ability to do their jobs effectively based on their advanced ages (ex. Biden, began his presidency at 78 and is now 80; Trump, 76; Mitch McConnell, 80; Nancy Pelosi, 82 etc.).
However, as my esteemed colleague Dr. Larry Polivka suggests, a political gerontocracy is not our real problem and believing that the failures of our leaders are based solely on their age is not the most accurate lens through which to understand policy stagnation. To be fair, both political parties had younger leaders over the past three decades and still failed to address pressing problems. Simply replacing older leaders with younger leaders will not fix the sources of public policy failures that have been emerging for more than 30 years.
The reasons this can be viewed as ageist is because:
- People are focusing on the political leaders chronological age (age in terms of years, months, and days since birth), which is a poor indicator of one’s ability and determining factor of whether that person is considered “old.”
- The argument that their views are outdated and that “older people are set in their ways and can’t learn new things” is an ageist stereotype.
When determining if an individual has reached old age or is unfit for a position, the number that represents chronological age is truly just that—an arbitrary number. However, functional age takes into consideration factors other than the day you were born, such as what a person can do. Within this context, a person becomes old when they are no longer able to perform the major roles of adulthood in society or needs full assistance with activities of daily living (for example, bathing, eating, and dressing). Side note: there are other ways to measure age, such as subjective age and biological age, but they aren’t as relevant in this case.
The point is, a person’s chronological age is a poor indicator of their ability to do their job, and the misconception that older adults are set in their ways and can’t learn new things has been disproven. Other factors need to be taken into consideration.
Entertainment:
The media’s portrayal of older adults fuels negative age stereotypes. Despite some hit TV shows and films starring actors in their 60s, 70s, and 80s (including Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie”) ageism remains rampant on the big and small screens. Notably, only 6.6% of prime-time television characters are over the age of 65 and even less (2%) of the top 2021 movies featured senior lead actors 60+. This under-representation of older adults is quite substantial if you take into consideration the actual proportion of the aging population in the US.
Within Systems
Within systems, ageism is embedded in institutional practices and procedures that reinforce biases against older adults. Structural inequities destroy respect and dignity of older adults and decreases their quality of life. It is apparent in the disparate health care treatment and outcomes for older people along with discrimination in the workplace.
Healthcare:
Today, 1 out of 5 older adults experiences ageism in health care settings. Studies have found that ageist views towards older patients by physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, and medical students compromised the quality of patient care, treatment options, and health outcomes. For instance, problems like cognitive impairment caused by complex drug regimens aren’t as frequently recognized or treated in older adults, and often misdiagnosed as some type of Dementia.
A main reason for these problems is that healthcare professionals are not adequately trained in geriatrics. Currently, the U.S. only has 7,300 geriatricians, yielding roughly 1.07 geriatricians for every 10,000 older adults needing care. The American Geriatrics Society estimates that 1 geriatrician can care for about 700 patients. This deficit is causing a multitude of implications for the older adult population.
Employment:
Ageism in the workplace refers to when employees receive poor treatment and denied career opportunities because of their age. Studies have shown that employers view older employees as less competent, trainable, flexible, efficient, and technologically proficient. A recent AARP survey shows that 67% of workers ages 45 and older have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. Age discrimination is illegal, and although it’s often difficult to prove there is something that can be done. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act was created to protect individuals 40 and older from employment discrimination based on age.
Individual Level
At the individual level, age-bias is expressed in private communications and social exchanges. These negative attitudes are directed towards, and internalized by, older adults. Examples can be found in the language we use and the perception of ourselves and others.
Language:
“Elderspeak” — speaking slowly, elevated pitch and volume, using simpler vocabulary, and calling them by nicknames such as sweetie. Many older adults perceive elderspeak as demeaning and it can result in lower self-esteem, withdrawal from social interactions, and depression, which only increases social isolation.
Most of us are guilty of saying, “You look great for your age!” This may sound like a complement, but it is inherently ageist. When you say, “for your age” and not simply “you look great,” it implies that old age = ugly. We all know there are beautiful people and less attractive people at all ages, so there is no need to say, “for your age” to an older adult.
Interpersonal relationships & self-perception:
Stereotypes about aging start when we’re young (as early as age four) and these negative assumptions are reinforced throughout our lives. Common ageist beliefs reduce older adults to a homogenous group sharing the same, often unkind characteristics. Yet, there is no typical way to define an “older personality.” The older adult population is characterized by great diversity, which is only going to increase in the years to come.
These ageist views are also associated with the exclusion of older people from meaningful activities and relationships. Persistent ageism-induced social rejection may cause older adults to avoid social engagement resulting in increased loneliness, a condition which predispose elders to poor medical and mental health outcomes.
The take-away: Some aspects of ageism are more recognizable than others. It is the views that are transmitted unconsciously that prove to be the real challenge towards breaking our cycle of prejudice and discrimination against older adults. We can work towards overcoming these beliefs by questioning outdated ideas about aging and becoming better informed about the diversities of aging experiences among the older adult population.
Thank you for joining me for Late Life Insights from Senior Life Source, where we provide education on aging for all ages.
Lisa Rill, PhD
Executive Director, Senior Life Source
