This news item expired on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Ageism Awareness Day is Saturday, October 7, 2023. Modeled after the United Nation’s International Day of Older Persons (Oct. 1), Ageism Awareness Day provides an opportunity to draw attention to the existence and impact of ageism in our society as well as an opportunity for communities to reframe aging. Ageism Awareness Day was born in Australia. The United States was the second country to bring awareness to ageism on this day.
The American Society on Aging, the largest multidisciplinary association in aging, is leading the initiative to promote Ageism Awareness Day. Advocating against ageism and promoting age inclusion are strategic priorities for the American Society on Aging. Changing the Narrative, a campaign of the NextFifty Initiative to end ageism is another one of many organizations across the United States and the world to promote Ageism Awareness Day.
What is ageism? Ageism is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the stereotypes (how we think), prejudices (how we feel), and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age.” Robert Neil Butler, a geriatrician and gerontologist, invented the term “ageism” in 1969 to describe prejudicial attitudes toward older people and aging. However, ageism affects all of us. Although most ageism is directed at older people, younger people face ageism too. Ageism is harmful to all of us.
Why should you care about ageism? Several reasons include: 1) Most of us will experience ageism at some point in our lives whether we are younger or older; 2) Ageism intersects with other stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination, such as racism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia exacerbating the prejudices; 3) Stereotypes about aging show up when we are young starting at age 4; these stereotypes are reinforced throughout our lives and we internalize these messages; 4) Ageism has a negative impact on mental and physical health; and 5) Ageism shows up in language (e.g., elder speak), relationships (e.g., patronizing behavior), self-perception, healthcare, government/policy/law, and the workplace.
What can be done about ageism? The World Health Organization recommends three strategies to combat ageism: change policy and laws to address age discrimination and inequality; educate to dispel beliefs about different age groups and to counter stereotypes as well as ways to reframe aging; and provide intergenerational interventions.
Ageism Awareness Day is not only being celebrated on October 7 but throughout the month of October as well. The American Society on Aging, Changing The Narrative, and the National Center to Reframe Aging led by the Gerontological Society of America are some of the most known organizations initiating the change to reframe aging and how we talk about aging. These organizations are even providing toolkits and training speakers to change the conversation.
Age-Friendly Buncombe County will be celebrating Ageism Awareness Day too! Trained as a speaker through Changing the Narrative, Billie Breeden will be speaking at the AdventHealth Multispecialty Group located at 1881 Pisgah Drive, Hendersonville on Tuesday, October 10 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.
On Ageism Awareness Day, October 7, please take a moment to consider how you treat people of all ages and how you want to be treated as you age.