One in five Canadians will be over the age of 65 by 2030, yet the World Health Organization states that ageism is a global health epidemic
“Ageism—the bias or prejudice based on age—continues to be socially acceptable, going largely unnoticed,” says Helen Hirsh Spence. “It’s evident everywhere and every day. It’s visible at the checkout in the grocery store, in our healthcare system, and throughout the service industry. If you’re labeled a ‘senior’ you are considered frail, vulnerable and in decline.”
Hirsh Spence has seen it over and over. A speaker promoting age inclusion through her social venture “Top Sixty Over Sixty,” Hirsh Spence routinely speaks at conferences, on podcasts, and on national and local radio.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also acknowledges that ageism has become a global health epidemic. A report issued in March of 2021 concluded that ageism leads to poorer mental and physical health.
“Thanks to medical and technological advances, we are all living longer than our parents’ generation,” says Hirsh Spence. This means that some older adults may need to work longer to become financially stable while others may choose to go back to work to be more socially engaged. The problem is that most employers aren’t aware of the demographic shift and have bought into many ageist myths—all of which have been debunked by research—and as a result, they are reluctant to hire older adults.
“Women have the most challenges when trying to return to the workforce,” says Hirsh Spence. “It’s called ‘gendered ageism.’ Supports, training and a serious anti-ageism campaign are needed to prevent individuals, communities, and economies from suffering the effects of ageism.”
Hirsh Spence recently spoke to a younger adult audience. “At the end, someone came up to me and said, ‘I had no idea.’ They were abundantly aware of racism, sexism, and ableism but had never heard of age discrimination. It was an eye-opener for them. These are the reasons I am so passionate about raising awareness about ageism. Most people don’t intend to be biased, but they don’t recognize what it looks and sounds like”.
Hirsh Spence says age has become a political issue in the U.S. “In Canada, some generations appear to be pitted against one another,” she adds. “Job and housing challenges seriously affect younger people, but it doesn’t help to play the blame game.” Hirsh Spence is dedicated to promoting a more positive and realistic image of what it means to grow older in today’s world. She feels that older adults have wisdom and life experience to share, and they deserve to be portrayed as capable, growth-oriented, and resourceful. Until then, she will continue to raise her voice and do her best to eradicate ageism.
“Unfortunately, because of our culture and attitudes, we indulge in ageism without even knowing it,” says CARP national president Rudy Buttignol. “Look what happened during COVID with the long-term care facilities in this province. How did they get that way? We let it happen.”
Buttignol says that culturally, people have been conditioned to shy away from saying they are a senior or retired, as once people are no longer in the workforce, others may see them as being unproductive.
“Even some of our own CARP members are squeamish about saying, ‘I’m a senior,’ like it’s something to be ashamed of,” Buttignol says. “They aren’t retired from life, just from the day-to-day grind of a job.”
Many seniors are busier than ever, says Buttignol. They volunteer in their communities, take up a sport and simply stay active. “I prefer ‘elder,’” says Buttignol. “We should start rethinking how older adults are referred to. Elder is more respectful.” He also is concerned that so many ageist issues are embedded into the system. “Look, many of the measures we use come from an industrial era. And at that point, 65 years old was, well, old,” he says. “Now people live up to 30 years past their retirement but governments, business and society in general still look at that number and not your talent.” That attitude, he adds, is costly and a big economic loss as well.
“Just because someone turns 65 and at the height of their knowledge, you’re going to boot them out the door,” says Buttignol. “It’s outrageous.”
There are repercussions to economic ageism. For example, no long-term disability is available for employees after age 65, travel insurance gets more expensive as someone ages and you have to turn your RRSP’s into RRIF’s. “We have an aging population worldwide,” says Buttignol. “Next year, the youngest Baby Boomer will turn 60. Globally, we’ll have to make accommodations. A good place to start to combat ageism would be to see the person, and not their age and the fact that they have a lot to offer.”
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Useful websites
carp.ca/2021/06/29/anti-ageism-tool-kit/
Fact box
Did you know?
There has been limited research conducted on ageism in Canada. A Canadian survey found 63 percent of older adults surveyed felt they had been treated unfairly based on their age. Younger people, healthcare professionals, government policies, and employers were the most identified sources of age discrimination.