October 9 Is Agesim Awareness Day

October 2024

By Howard Olshansky on behalf of the Shalom Park DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) Committee

One of the most prevalent types of discrimination in our country is ageism. While we often don’t want to acknowledge this because we don’t want to think that we would be unfair or disrespectful to our elders, the data clearly demonstrates that ageism is a major issue. And the issue isn’t just affecting seniors, but ageism has a major financial impact on our society.

Just consider the data:

- In a research study reported by AARP, 93.4% of people ages 50-80 regularly experience some form of ageism in their daily lives.

- A 2021 AARP survey found that 78% of older workers have experienced age discrimination in the workplace, and one in three people aged 50 and older believe they have been turned down for a job because of their age.

- July employment data indicates that 26.6% of job seekers ages 55 and older were longterm unemployed, compared to 19.2% of job seekers ages 16-54.

- AARP estimates an $850 billion loss in gains to the gross domestic product due to involuntary retirement, underemployment, and unemployment among older workers.

- It is estimated that ageism caused $63 billion in healthcare costs in a given year.

You may ask, “How did we get here?” Wasn’t there a time when we revered our elders? There are multiple theories around the increase in ageism in our society. Some refer to the elimination of the extended family. There was a time when extended families lived together or at least close to each other. Grandparents were often primary caretakers so parents could work. This stems back to farming communities. As the suburban sprawl evolved, along with the increase in job relocation, so did the closeness of the extended family. Another theory is the obsessive focus that took place in the ‘80s on youth and anyone over 50 was considered a drain on society. Remember when 50 was the dreaded age? Lastly, the fact that we are living longer has exacerbated the image of a frail, unproductive population.

All that being said, today ageism is showing up in multiple ways within our society:

Media - Movies, TV, ads, music, etc. all present aging as either a joke or something to dread. The only real positive presentation of aging is when it is the result of a medication, innately creating the premise that something was wrong to begin with.

Elderspeak - This is when we address older adults as if they can’t make decisions on their own. It often looks like speaking in a higher pitch or sounding as if they’re speaking to a child. This often shows up with the expectation that they are unable to navigate technology.

Medical practices - Physicians and medical professionals often chalk up presenting symptoms of people age 55 and older to their age. This often results in misdiagnosis and the loss of prevention efforts that could have avoided both costly and psychological harm. This is often when the symptoms include fatigue, depression, and chronic pain.

Employment - Older adults are often overlooked for potential employment and are frequently underutilized in the workplace or overlooked for additional responsibilities or promotions.

Abuse - One in 10 Americans ages 60 and older have experienced some form of abuse but only one in 24 are reported. Sixty % of elder abuse is perpetrated by family members. This is often financial abuse, resulting in costs to older Americans in the range of $2.9 billion to $36.5 billion.

October 9 is Ageism Awareness Day

Every year, the American Society on Aging sponsors Ageism Awareness Day to spread the word that Ageism is a thing that needs to end: #EndAgeism.

Here are a few ways we can all help:

- Be a role model for aging by having meaningful conversations about age to help spark change and combat age stereotypes.

- Evaluate your own actions by being conscious of your behaviors.

- Be active on social media and like, comment, and share posts about Ageism Awareness Day.

- Make sure to tag @asaging (American Society of Aging) and use the hashtags: #AgeismAwarenessDay and #TalkAboutAgeism so others can find you!

The Shalom Park DEI Committee is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all at Shalom Park that recognizes the value of the diversity of our community.