Over 2,600 people across Western Australia provided their views on how they can live well by participating in face-to-face and online consultation sessions, phone interviews, and online and hardcopy surveys.
Feedback showed that older people experienced ageism when accessing services, joining groups and activities, going to the shops, and other day to day interactions. They did not feel valued or respected, experienced rude behaviour or felt excluded because of their age.
Ageism refers to how we think (stereotypes), how we feel (prejudice), and how we act (discrimination) towards people based on their age.
Ageism can be present in different ways:
Institutionalised ageism. Refers to the laws, policies, and culture of organisations and government that restrict opportunities and disadvantage people based on age.
Interpersonal ageism. This is generally what people think of when they think ageism. It is ageism directed at other people, for example, ‘that person is too old to dress/act/do things that way’ or age based insults due to stereotypes of older people.
Self-directed ageism. Where ageism is internalised and directed at oneself. Think of all the times you may have said to yourself ‘I’m too old to take up a new hobby/job/study’.
Age discrimination, in particular self-directed ageism, can have detrimental impacts on a person’s overall health.
It can also be associated with poor mental and physical health, social isolation and loneliness, financial insecurity, reduced quality of life and premature death.
Read the report and Challenge Your Bias at the link below.