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The dominant leading theory regarding ageism’s origin links to anxiety about aging.

That fear is then perpetuated in society through internalized stereotypes, societal stereotypes, and age discrimination, influenced by media, policy, lexicon development, and systemic discrimination

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Gender is a term that highlights a spectrum of relationships that may include sex but is not directly determined by sex or directly determines sexuality (Lindquist, 2012)

Older women face the accumulated effects of ageism and sexism. According to Aging Equal (https://ageing-equal.org/):

They are more likely than men to encounter ageist attitudes.

They can find themselves facing dual discrimination in access to employment and pensions and to key goods and services in the health and insurance sectors.

LGBTQ

There are increasing chances of psychological distress, disability, detrimental health behaviors among (White) LGB older people compared to cisgender heterosexual people (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2014)

Older Hispanic LGBT adults are at increased risk of weaker mental health than White peers (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2014).

Transgender older adults have advanced chances of perceived stress, poor physical health, depressive symptomatology, and disability than non-transgender LGB older adults. This stress is due to discrimination and harassment (Howard et al., 2019).

Black and Hispanic LGBT older adults report higher rates of poverty and lower educational attainment levels compared to White older adults (Fredriksen &Goldsen et al., 2017). The African American transgender population is worse off than all other 29 older Americans (Howard et al., 2019). Gender is a social construct (Bell, 2016) and, as noted above, impacts aging as well.

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A very successful campaign

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Age Discrimination Food Truck Experiment | Disrupt Aging

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Awareness and Advocacy for individuals and influencers

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Awareness and Advocacy for individuals and influencers

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It is like the old joke about the lightbulb
“How many therapists does it take to change a lightbulb? Only one, but the lightbulb has to really want to change.”

Recommendation 1.
Recommendation is to target individuals, decision makers, and influencers for advocacy and awareness campaigns. Individuals are a part of all spheres of society and can help create change at the micro-level, whereas decision-makers and influencers generate change at the meso-level.

Toolkit: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/advocacy/direct-action/electronic-advocacy/main

It’s hard to change the status quo around diversity and inclusion when a homogenous demographic occupies the C-suite...mostly white men.

However, consumers wield enormous power to call B.S. on, say, an all-male conference speaker lineup or excessive Photoshopping of magazine cover girls, and it’s reached a point where failing to adapt compromises the bottom line.

We’re definitely reaching a place now where companies know that mission and money can work [together], that the audience won’t buy from you unless you align with their belief systems.

Awareness-raising advocacy campaign is needed, as it is an effective tool demonstrating altered attitudes and views (Hawkes, 2013). Awareness campaigns are organized communication strategies designed to promote awareness on issues, provide immediate behavioral modifications among the general population, and improve outcomes (Hawkes, 2013). Implementing the theory of change includes objectives, strategies, and assessment (Fressman, 2016)

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According to Aging Equal -"Older people are often stereotyped as non-sexual beings who should not, cannot, and do not want to have sexual relationships. Ageism prevents us to respect all forms of intimacy and sexual orientation in later life".

As a result there is not adequate support in promoting safe sex

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George Mason University (State of Virginia, USA)-

Started a training called "Tell Me Your Story"
"Each patient has a different story,” explained  Director Karen Brown. “You have your own culture as a provider as well, and culture can affect how patients respond and access the care they need"

It’s important to make sure that patients understand their diagnosis, and the next steps for treatment to help them to actively navigate to health.

We tend to be focused on treating the disease but need to remember that is not always the direct provision of care that makes the biggest difference but rather taking the time to listen to any barriers that may prevent them from being successful in becoming healthy.

To do this ....take  time to listen. It’s important for us to have accountability at every touch point in the health care system if patients are to successfully navigate this complicated health care system.

Found great success with this training as it helps with the continuum of care.

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Cultural competency training for social service bureaucrats

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Cultural competency training for social service bureaucrats

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Cultural competency training offers an opportunity to increase one's cultural awareness and sensitivity.

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By learning about how to respect and treat unique individuals from all backgrounds, providers will improve their quality of care given and be able to effectively address the needs of any clients/patients that they may see. Our cultural competency training should cover topics including identity and self expression, unconscious bias, racial discrimination, gender disparities, and more.

Focus on a human-centered client approach (rather than focusing solely on the  issues)

Develop emotional intelligence

Teach trauma-informed care

Create awareness of implicit bias and help overcome such bias

Celebrate and promote diversity, equity and inclusion

Encourage mindfulness and well-being

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Will talk in more detail later:

Poorer Health Conditions

BIPOC community experience barriers accessing certain healthcare services

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Emily Ku

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An Intersectional approach for work cultures

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An Intersectional approach for work cultures

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All individuals deserve to have their faces and experiences reflected in culture and media, their voices heard, and their unique requirements addressed through appropriate policies. However, when individuals and society fail to integrate intersectionality into everyday routines  and policies, communities get left behind.

An intersectional approach recognizes systemic discrimination, and this systemic discrimination controls access to opportunity. Discrimination is based on economic status, sexual orientation, identity, race, gender, identity, immigration status, and national origin .

An intersectional approach strengthens the knowledge that there is a nuance in how nonminorities hold power. The approach fosters understanding of more complex identities that are more than oppressor and oppressed constructs. An intersectional approach educates on racial categories to understand the complexity of having multiple identities or ethnicities (Berger & Guidroz, 2009). Still, within these groups, there are different ways individuals experience privilege or oppression. The approach also considers the identities of different abilities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and economic backgrounds that interweave with the racialized experience, and present additional hurdles to significant inclusion (Berger & Guidroz, 2009). Without an intersectional approach, society cannot define the root causes of social and racial marginalization (Berger & Guidroz, 2009).

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When ageist stereotypes become internalized they become self-fulfilling prophesies

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Older adults with disabilities receive poorer care and standards of living

Can lead to isolation

Lack of accessibility to healthcare and socialization

Need to provide accessible spaces, especially in transportation

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Sue's best advice... Do not be afraid to ask! It takes the entire community to individualize plans.

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Limited access to social services and government services like welfare; and are overlooked in mainstream aging and immigration policies (Dolberg et al., 2018)

The U.S. Census (2014) noted that foreign-born individuals’ growth rate will outpace natives, particularly among those 65 and older

Canada - According to Statista Canada has been a land of immigrants since the first European colonizers of the 16th century, a trend that continues today. Currently, annual immigration in Canada amounts to around 300,000 new immigrants – one of the highest rates per population of any country in the world.

As of 2020, there were just above eight million immigrants with permanent residence living in Canada - roughly 21.5 percent of the total Canadian population.

According to Immigration.Ca

100,568 new permanent residents from India

Another 35,538 immigrants from China

In the five years that ended in 2019, immigration from India, the greatest source of new permanent residents to Canada, skyrocketed, growing by almost 117.6 % from 39,340 in 2015 to 85,590.

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Honorable Mention- An intergenerational program for first grade through college

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Honorable Mention- An intergenerational program for first grade through college

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In the Burnes et al. (2019) study, the mediation that produced the most significant results in reducing ageism included a combination of intergenerational communication and educational elements, and validated reductions in negative attitudes toward aging.

Burnes et al. (2019) observed that a mixture of the two interventions is critical for future dissemination of ageist attitudes.

The Burnes et al. (2019) meta-study supports Levy’s (2009) stereotype embodiment theory, suggesting that ageist views may be transmitted culturally and internalized by older adults, leading to significant changes to health and functioning.
Knowledge and intergenerational-contact help mediate societal stereotypes passed on to the individual, as views on older age begin in childhood (Burnes et al., 2019; Levy, 2009).
According to the Pew Research Center (2019), 79% of Americans see fundamental differences between older and younger adults in the way they look at the world. Younger groups generalize and view themselves as “not old” and propagate their perceived power through those generalizations

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Other tools or success stories in the field

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Kimberlé Crenshaw

Twenty-eight years ago, Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in a paper as a way to help explain the oppression of African-American women

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Ageism refers to the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age.

Ageism is one of the last socially acceptable prejudices.

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Although more detrimental as you age, it impacts youth as well. For instance - in the workforce:

-Dismissive tones

-Lack of leadership opportunities

-Lack of wages for the same skill set

Also, making offensive generalizations about a specific generation, e.g., that millennials are entitled

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About 40% age 45-plus and 62% of those age 55-plus report experiencing age discrimination in their job search according to AARP

Within the workforce:

-60% of older employees (50+) have experienced workplace age discrimination, with 90-95% of those saying it is common.

-30% of women 50+ experience age discrimination.
64% of women and 59% of men have experienced age discrimination in the workplace.

-Ageism in the Workplace: Statistics Overview

60% of older employees have experienced workplace age discrimination, with 90-95% of those saying it is common.

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Any guesses?

Only 27% of medical schools require geriatric rotations . However, medical students must complete clinical rotations in obstetrics and pediatrics, even though most will never treat pregnant women or children after graduation .

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Group discussion

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Where do you notice ageism in your life?

Where do you notice ageism in your work?

What can we do to make progress in our organization/community?

If we had an age-inclusive culture what kinds of things would we see in our organization/community?

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Positive ageism/ Sageism

Both terms describe the discrimination of people because of their age, such as when people respect older adults because they are perceived to be revered due to their wisdom and experience.

Negative ageism

These adverse effects are prejudice and discrimination based on age.

Compassionate ageism

Appeared to describe a belief that older adults are vulnerable and needy.

Implicit ageism

Suggesting that a person is unaware of their bias

Explicit ageism

Appears and describes an internal and conscious awareness of one’s attitudes and biases toward older adults

Institutional ageism

Characteristics encompass language depicting older people negatively and discriminating older adults within society

and organizations

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1. Rethink hiring for culture fit.

To create an age-inclusive workplace, don’t ask whether a candidate would mesh well with your existing team or is just like everyone else. Ask how they can enhance your workforce with their new perspectives, unique characteristics and diverse background. In other words, what can they add to your work culture? With this mindset, you'll be more likely to bring people of all ages aboard.

2. Make age inclusivity part of your DEI initiatives.

Celebrate all aspects of diversity, including age, when developing and scaling your DEI programs. Train employees—especially people leaders and hiring managers—to recognize and overcome unconscious and conscious age bias. Additionally, ensure leadership is leading by example with its commitment to an age-diverse workforce.

You must also create safe spaces or forums to facilitate discussions on ageism (and other types of discrimination) and inspire employees to use age-inclusive language. For example, avoid using age-related words and phrases in job ads (“seeking fresh talent”) and recruitment marketing materials (“Our culture is young and vibrant”).

3. Standardize how you screen and interview applicants.

Ask all candidates the same set of interview questions, and avoid asking anything related to age like “How much longer do you plan to work?" Rate each candidate on the same numeric scale, and give identical skills assessments or work sample tests to maximize objectivity. If holding panel interviews, try to gather a diverse group of panelists.

Another way to level the playing field when recruiting is removing information from résumés and applications that could hint at a candidate’s age. This includes graduation years, dates of employment and photos. In fact, 54.5% of respondents to iHire’s survey said they'd like employers to use blind recruiting tools that do just that to prevent ageism in the hiring process.

4. Evaluate your benefits and perks.

Benefits like simplified employee pension plans (SEPs), 401(k) contributions and other retirement savings options are highly appealing to older workers. Flexibility is another perk that can cater to an aging workforce, as some people may prefer part-time, freelance, gig or consulting roles; compressed workweeks; or job sharing. Also, it goes without saying that you should ensure compensation is based on the job that the employee is performing and not their age.

5. Offer growth and development opportunities.

Show older workers they're valued by investing in their careers. Use career pathing to demonstrate how they can advance in their role, and upskill or reskill them to fill talent gaps. Allow them to mentor younger associates as mentorships are especially effective in encouraging collaboration across age groups, building trust and simplifying knowledge transfer.

As older workers remain vital members of the workforce, ageism won’t go away unless you address it, starting with making changes to your culture and recruiting practices. Age is truly just a number. It’s the employees’ skills and experience that make an organization thrive.

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Is ageism the most accepted form of discrimination?

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Is ageism the most accepted form of discrimination?

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Findings suggest that while ageism may be the most normalized and socially accepted form of prejudice

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https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PKYDCTZ

This is just for fun and not a scientific survey. Just to get your thoughts going...