There’s no arguing with the fact that if you’re living, then you’re aging. Put another way, as was the case at a recent conference on ageism (The Century Summit) sponsored by the Stanford Center on Longevity, the question is, “If aging is universal, why is ageism so prevalent?” In almost every aspect of life, whether it’s at your doctor’s office, your workplace, or out in society more generally, you may encounter some sort of ageism if you’re an older adult. The Stanford Center on Longevity posted that the United States has been described as the most age-segregated society that’s ever existed. Moreover, in schools, workplaces, and academic centers, the study of ageism and efforts to reduce its impact are often done under the rubric of “DEI” programs, so it’s quite possible that in the current political climate, we may face further problems, rather than progress, when it comes to ageism. If you’d like to watch the video of the various speakers and sessions from this recent Stanford Conference, put on your headphones and click here.

In healthcare settings, ageism continues to be a serious problem. In a recent post from Next Avenue writer Jessica Farthing describes an incident at the foot doctor where she was hoping for aggressive treatment of a foot problem so she could return to the athletics that she loves, but instead, the doctor offered her a lesser treatment, which she concluded he had done because he probably just thought of her as “an older woman.” This type of “every day” ageism at the doctor’s office (or in medical settings as was described by agebuzz guest blogger Alice Herb in her recent post) can lead to poorer health outcomes and lower self-assessments of physical and mental health among older patients. Apparently, part of the problem of ageism in the health care setting stems from the education and training of health care providers where, as renowned geriatrician Dr. Louise Aronson states, “We invest hugely in keeping people alive and then complain about the significant medical needs of all the old people we have kept alive.” Jessica Farthing suggests one way to combat ageism in medical settings: Make sure you tell your doctor exactly what outcome you’re hoping for and why, so that ageist assumptions don’t cloud or influence medical recommendations.

In employment situations, ageism often runs rampant, even though in many office settings, up to 5 generations are working side by side. According to a recent article from AARP, there are approximately 38 million older adults in the workforce, and almost ⅔ report that they have seen or experienced age discrimination in their work setting. Whether that discrimination comes in the form of barriers to getting hired (one study has shown that job applicants over 40 are 40-68% less likely to get a job offer than younger applicants) or pressure to leave the workforce due to health problems, skill deficits or just plain ageism, older adults are at risk in the workforce, and especially at risk of losing health benefits if they leave their positions before being eligible for Medicare. As one study of this phenomenon has found, “Life expectancy for people who become unemployed at age 58 is, on average, reduced by 3 years.” Ageism in the office cuts both ways, of course. Younger workers may be denied opportunities because of their age while older workers may be forced out to make way for younger, less expensive employees. This works against everyone’s interests, as the diversity of multigenerational teams at work is a win-win for both employers and employees. 

Ageism activist Ashton Applewhite, who was one of the panelists at the above-mentioned Century Summit, has a valuable suggestion for how, as a society, we can come together to address ageism. As we’ve previously said, if you’re alive, you’re aging- and therefore you have a stake in how we make progress on lessening the negative effects of ageism. She has proposed a new initiative she named YODA, which stands for Youngers and Olders Dismantling Ageism and which calls on younger and older adults to join together and collectively address the problems of ageism in our society. As Applewhite makes clear, “Everyone is old or future old.” Collaborating rather than working at cross purposes is the best way that society as a whole can combat and eliminate a form of discrimination that may affect every one of us at some time or another. In unity there is strength!