I saw this article in the latest edition of Senior Scope, a newsletter/paper for older Manitobans.  The title is CHANGING THE PERCEPTION OF THE ELDERLY IS A MUST.   This definitely ties in with Ageism Awareness.

I will turn 70 this December. I presume that milestone classifies me as “elderly” to many younger people. I get it. I am likely older than some of their parents. I don’t however feel old. Even more importantly, I don’t deserve to be viewed as having less value than someone younger than 40 though this is often the case. Unfortunately, residents in many Western nations including Canada and The United States, often have their worth appraised according to their abilities and contributions to society. Since older individuals (a term I prefer to “elderly” or “old”) have declining abilities and are seen as contributing less to society, we are often viewed as having a best-before date that expired years (if not decades) ago. While it is true that I can’t do many tasks and most sports as well as I once did, that does not make me a deserving punchline for old-age jokes or a caricature of a bumbling, wrinkled, forgetful “old coot.” None of us older individuals – including those of us who have wrinkles and at times are forgetful – deserve this depiction. I am not saying this because we were once young and contributed to the fiscal health of our province and nation. Neither do I say it on behalf of those who, unlike me, are veterans of our Armed Forces and deserve our life-long gratitude. Rather, I make claim to our value simply because we are alive; because we are human; because (for those of us who hold Christian values and views) we are created in God’s Image. Despite living in a time when people are punished for insulting or demeaning others due to their identities and individuality, mocking older people seems to be acceptable – by young people, the media, and big business. Unfortunately, some individuals within two other population segments also view us as less than desired. One is the adult children of older individuals. My job as the Spiritual Care / Holistic Care Coordinator at one of Winnipeg’s leading Personal Care Homes has resulted in me hearing about family members who won’t visit their parents because they want to remember the person “as they were.” This suggests the current state of the older individual is no longer acceptable or desirable. The other segment is the older individuals themselves. Too often they have a sense of remorse or humiliation about their appearance and the loss of abilities including at times, bodily functions. The key to understanding these two groups is one single word. . . SHAME. Many of us, and many of our loved ones are ashamed of who we have become as if it is a character flaw. (Truth: I struggle with shame about my current appearance, particularly the pounds I have added – most of which have settled along my waistline.) It might seem like a laughable comparison, but no one is ashamed of an infant who lacks key abilities including walking, selffeeding, and control of bodily functions. While the rightful justification is that it isn’t their fault, neither is it ours. All that should be asked of a person at any moment in their life is that they do their best. (A quick apology to all infants and their parents who might have been offended by this analogy.) The effort to sequester or hide the issue of aging is in large part one of the prices we all pay for living in a youth-oriented, ability-valued society. While it is difficult to quickly change the values and views of society, this unacceptable prevailing attitude towards older individuals must end. Starting now. This change must occur not only for those who are elderly but for all of society. After all, there are but two groups of people in the world in terms of age: those who are older and those who will be older. Let’s strive for a more gracious and accurate depiction of older individuals – for all of our sake.

Addressing Ageism

My first story on addressing ageism was written in May, 2023, and published in a local paper for older Manitobans called Senior Scope. It has been just over 2 years since I wrote the first article, and I see that a lot has not changed.  I still see TV commercials for products and services that both older and younger people use (grocery stores, coffee, retail) , yet I only see younger people featured.  I have written to some of these companies, and I get the “we’ll pass your concerns along” with no further action taken.  Older people must not be invisible – we need to speak up and speak out in a respectful way.  Change takes time,

There have been some positive things.  One is a monthly radio show put on by the Manitoba Association of Senior Communities and Active Ageing in Manitoba . – the radio station that broadcasts it  is a not for profit, community based one. The panel talk about anything from social isolation to health care issues.  They took the summer off, and will be back on the air on September 24th.  I look forward to hearing what they have to offer.  Manitoba will hopefully have its first Seniors Advocate in place by November 1st. (only 4 other provinces have one).

Thank you for allowing me to share – I think it’s important to bring awareness to the issue of ageism.

Addressing Ageism

I am an older adult who is embracing the joys and challenges of aging.  I moved into the next chapter of my life when COVID hit in early 2020, and said farewell to my job with the Federal Government. I had an interest in issues involving older adults.  At the time, I heard about ageism and I wanted to learn more and educate myself about this important topic.  A definition of ageism is discrimination based on age.

I read about ageism in the workplace and in health care.  I wanted to look at advertising, both print and TV.  There are many commercials for products and services used by people of all ages – for example, coffee, going to restaurants, pet products and clothing to name a few.  What I found was the majority of these ads only had younger people.  I wanted to know why. I started writing to these companies, mentioning that people of all ages use their products and older people also have purchasing power, yet no representation of them in their ads.  Most of these businesses thanked me for writing and didn’t mention specific reasons why older adults were not included in their ads. I got a lot of “we want to be more inclusive and diverse in our advertising”. Some of the non-responders have lost my business. I think bringing awareness is a good first step, a work-in-progress.

Learning about ageism makes me aware of the language I use – for example, saying to someone “you look amazing” instead of “you look great FOR YOUR AGE”.  I want to read about the story behind someone’s accomplishment, not that the person featured was 80 years old.  Please don’t address me as “dear” “sweetie” or “ma’am”. I have had people speak more slowly and loudly to me – assuming as I get older, I can’t follow what they are saying and that my hearing diminishes. I will speak up if I need something repeated.  There needs to be more representation of older people on retail business websites – specifically stores where they shop at. I wrote to one clothing retail chain, and I started to see more pictures on their website of older women modelling their outfits a few weeks afterwards.  There are you tube channels that talk about “fashion mistakes women make over the age of 50”. My motto is doing what makes you feel amazing (and the same applies to men as well).

A suggestion for a book that addresses ageism is “THIS CHAIR ROCKS, A MANIFESTO AGAINST AGEISM” by Ashton Applewhite.  Also, check out organizations like CARP (Canadian Association of Retired Persons) and NAFR (National Association of Federal Retirees) for suggestions on combatting ageism.

It’s important that seniors/older adults need to be visible.  They have a lot to offer – skills, experience, and wisdom.  I will continue to respectfully speak out as needed.  I appreciated the opportunity to share my personal story about ageism.