What is ageism?
Ageism is stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination against people on the basis of their age. It impacts people of all ages and impacts on our confidence, health, job prospects, quality of life and control over life decisions. When it is aimed at older people, ageism comes from negative attitudes and beliefs about what it means to be older.
Ageism can distort our attitudes to older people and ageing and have profound negative impacts on our personal experience of growing older. As well as its individual impacts, ageism can also deny society the enormous range of benefits that can flow, economically and socially, from the full participation of older people.
Tackling ageism is everyone’s responsibility. How we treat older people now is how we can expect to be treated as we get older. When you discriminate against an older person you are discriminating against your future self.
Together we are striving for a community without ageism. We want to celebrate older people as a diverse group, with diverse interests who contribute an enormous amount to our communities, families, organisations, and economy.
EveryAGE Counts
EveryAGE Counts is an advocacy campaign aimed at tackling ageism against older Australians. The EveryAGE Counts campaign vision is “a society where every person is valued, connected and respected regardless of age and functional health”.
It is an ambitious campaign spearheading a social movement with a challenging goal: to shift social norms (those unwritten rules of common thinking and behaviour) and positively influence the way Australia thinks about ageing and older people.
What can I do?
- Commit to ending ageism by taking the EveryAGE Counts campaign pledge. Take the pledge. Post your pledge on social media with the hashtags #EndAgeism and #TacklingAgeismTogether #wyndhamcitycouncil
- Start a conversation about ageism. Bring your friends and family on the journey by raising awareness of ageism and thinking differently about ageing and older people.
- Am I Ageist? Take the quiz
What is Elder Abuse?
Elder abuse has been defined by the World Health Organization as 'a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person'.
Elder abuse can take various forms, including: financial, physical, psychological, emotional and sexual abuse, or neglect. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and LGBTQI+ communities are additionally vulnerable, as are older people living in rural and regional communities.
Extra Resources/Information
Resources
- EveryAGE Counts campaign
- Magazine: The Real Oldaddresses many of the myths that drive ageism and negative attitudes about getting older
- Ted Talk: Let’s End Ageism by Ashton Applewhite
- Video: 'Imagine a World without Ageism' narrated by Bryan Brown
- Video: Are our perceptions of age distorted?
- 'Framing Age' message guide