BUILDING BETTER AGED CARE
WHAT’S IN A WORD? COMBATTING AGEISM THROUGH LANGUAGE
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ike any form of prejudice and discrimination, ageism strongly impacts wellbeing, and its pervasive and damaging nature is harmful to both younger and older people. The health consequences of ageism can be far-reaching, including physical and mental illness, cognitive impairment, reduced longevity, poor quality of life and wellbeing, and denied access to healthcare and treatments. Ninety per cent of Australians believe that ageism exists in Australia, and 83 per cent believe that ageism is a problem. In fact, most Australians (63 per cent) report experiencing ageism within the past five years. Through extensive research, the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) has heard numerous examples of ageism that occurs in everyday life. Some of us might be guilty of unwittingly buying into ageist attitudes.
Things like older people being told they don’t look their age (as if it is a compliment, implying there is something wrong with ageing); being ignored or overlooked in shops, as though they are of less importance than other customers; assumptions that they don’t know how to use IT, and the ridicule associated with it; and conversations about them directed at a younger family member in their presence, as if they can’t speak for themselves. Ageism is the only ‘ism’ that is still present in everyday interactions, conversations, humour and behaviour, and it largely goes unremarked upon. We all have a role to play in combatting ageism. Raising the level of awareness about language and what words we ought to be saying to create a more inclusive society, and making a decision to use those words, is a good place to start.
Examples of how language can combat ageism
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Questions to ask
Poor Example
Better Example
Do the terms I use to describe a person or group of people challenge or perpetuate stereotypes about older people?
X Old person X The elderly X Seniors
Older person Older people
Does my language place the person or the ‘problem’ first?
X Dementia sufferer
Person with dementia OR person living with dementia OR person with a diagnosis of dementia
Do the images I use to represent a person or group of people challenge or perpetuate stereotypes about older people?
X Images that portray older people as ‘onlookers’ X Images that only portray older people as frail and/or caredependent
Images that portray older people as active participants in society and in meaningful activities Images that are reflective of the diversity in older peoples’ physical fitness and independence Continued on page 53
