Being in a certain age group often comes with restrictions. In some instances, this is completely necessary, but in others, not so much. Here’s how ageism affects the overall health of individuals and society as a whole.
So, first things first, what does ageism mean?
Simply put, ageism is a way of boxing individuals or labeling people to be a certain way because of their age. This can take the form of older people being excluded from clinical trials because it’s seen as a risk, or even discrediting a younger individual with bright ideas because of their “lack of experience”.
Ageism can show up in a variety of ways, and if there’s a hint of a little hurdle, there’s probably some ageist views at play.
What are three types of ageism?
The World Health Organisation shares that ageism often shows up in three forms, which are how we think (stereotypes), how we act towards others (discrimination), and how we feel (prejudices).
These views trickle down into our day-to-day interactions with people as well as how we view ourselves. This can be limiting to personal growth and potential positive relationships and experiences.
These views aren’t particularly very healthy since research shows that negative perceptions around age actually contribute to health issues such as depression and chronic pain. Most believe that issues such as the latter are things that come with age but it certainly is not.
If you’ve ever heard someone say he or she looks good for their age, that is one example how ageist views are challenged by clearly showing that you can be middle aged or even a senior citizen and be in great shape.
While it is true that some functions may slow down as we get older, such as a slow cognitive response, the quality of life actually improves as we age.
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The Health and Wellness team at Healthline notes that sexual satisfaction actually improves with age. So it’s not all that bad.
What are the causes of ageism?
Just like the old views that a woman’s place is in the kitchen, ideas and perceptions around people of a certain age, whether it be young or old, are all generalist views instead of views from a factual basis.
These views, like those on feminism, are meant to be broken out of. If something benefits only a select group of people, it is meant to be challenged, and ageism is no different from any other struggle or social construct that needs redefining.
The only way ideas such as ageism will change is if more conversations around this topic are had in society. So let’s start talking.
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