 Ageism doesn’t usually begin with cruelty. It
begins with assumptions.
When younger people believe that seniors are
unhappy, wealthy, confused, resistant, or irrelevant, those beliefs quietly
shape decisions, about hiring, Health care, housing, transportation, Technology,
and community design. Language changes. Patience shortens. Voices are
dismissed.
These myths create an environment where ageism
can flourish without being named.
They show up when older workers are passed
over “just in case.”
When services are moved online without support.
When policy decisions are justified by stereotypes instead of evidence.
When older adults are spoken about, but not spoken with.
Perhaps the most damaging myth is the idea
that ageing itself is the problem.
Ageing is not the problem. Ageism is.
Ageism limits opportunity, isolates people,
and weakens communities. It also harms younger people by teaching them to fear
their own future. When we challenge myths about ageing, we’re not just
defending seniors, we’re reshaping what it means to grow older in this province.
As the Seniors Advocate rightly urges, this
work begins with reflection. It continues with language, curiosity, and
conversation. And it becomes real when policies and practices recognize older
adults not as stereotypes, but as people.
Because the truth is simple:
We are all ageing, just at different speeds.
Originally Published on https://boomersnotsenior.blogspot.com/
