Ageism Awareness Day, October 7, 2023
Ageism Awareness Day: October 7, 2023 #StopAgeism American Society on Aging
#Ageism refers to the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) toward others or oneself based upon age.
There are many forms of ageism, including:
Internalized ageism: How we feel about ourselves as aging people;
and ageism in which older adults marginalize and discriminate against other older people.
Cultural ageism: The everyday, invisible, profoundly ingrained and normalized negative messages about aging and old people embedded in movies, TV, songs, jokes, etc.
Implicit ageism: The unconscious bias that includes attitudes, feelings and behaviors toward people of other age groups that operates 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.
Ex. Elderspeak When an older adult is addressed as if they are much younger and can’t make decisions on their own—the voice may rise to a higher pitch, simple words are used and spoken more slowly as if speaking to a child.
Ageism is one of the most widespread and socially accepted form of prejudice.
