Ageism: How can I tackle age discrimination and stereotypes? 

What is ageism?

Ageism is a bias against individuals based on their age but how can you tackle age discrimination and institutional ageism?

‘Age is often used to categorize and divide people in ways that lead to harm, disadvantage and injustice’, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

‘This is ageism: the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or ourselves based on age.’

Modelled on the United Nations International Day of Older Persons on 1 October, Ageism Awareness Day on 7 October draws attention to the impact of ageism in society. 

Ageism influences institutions, policies, relationships, how people see others and how they see themselves.  A person as young as 4 years old becomes aware of their culture’s age stereotypes and uses these stereotypes to guide their feelings and behaviour towards people of different ages.

Are you aware that you are being ageist or not? If you are not, this is known as implicit ageism. If you are, this is known as explicit ageism.

Compassionate ageism

Compassionate ageism is a patronizing belief about age. For example, older adults are portrayed as vulnerable and requiring protection. Hostile ageism is openly aggressive beliefs about age, for example statements such as ‘teenagers are violent’.

Ageism in society leads to older people adopting ageist attitudes to other older people and to themselves. Older people start to display ‘internalised ageism’ and may describe themselves in negative ways such as ‘past it’ or ‘over the hill’.  They may feel worthless and limit their own behaviour and opportunities.   

Who does ageism impact?

Ageism affects everyone. Age biases are influenced by your background, personal experiences, society’s stereotypes and culture.   

‘Globally, 1 in 2 people are ageist against older people and in Europe, younger people report more perceived ageism than other age groups’, according to WHO.

Older people are often negatively represented in society in the UK.

Ageism fails to appreciate the diversity existing in an age group. Not everyone aged 65+ is frail, struggling to walk, with ‘one foot in the grave’, forgetful or rich but such stereotypes about older people remain.   

What is age discrimination?

Age discrimination happens when ‘a person is unfairly disadvantaged for reasons relating to their age which cannot be objectively justified’, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

It has been illegal in the UK since 2006. Age may be a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, but age discrimination seems to be the most tolerated form of prejudice.

What’s the difference between ageism and age discrimination? 

Ageism is often a cause for individual acts of age discrimination.

Examples of age discrimination

Here are some examples of age discrimination:

• Treating a person of a certain age as if they have no value or do not matter.   
• Forcing someone to retire early.
• Making ageist jokes to belittle someone’s age.
• Making offensive generalizations about a specific generation, e.g. ‘millennials are snowflakes’
• Using someone’s age to trick or have some kind of power over them.
• Ignoring a person’s needs, suggestions or wants because of their age.

Age discrimination in health and care

Health and social care sectors must be held to account when it comes to ageist policies. When it comes to institutional ageism, they are no stranger to it.

Examples of institutional ageism

• The Centre for Ageing Better states: ‘Ageist attitudes have worrying consequences for physical and mental health. For example, older people are more likely to be prescribed antidepressants than talking therapies’ by their GPs.  Research has revealed doctors are less likely to refer older people with suicidal thoughts for mental health treatment, based on ageist thinking that this is experienced in older age. 

• When it comes to private and public sector organisations, UK recruitment agency Wote Street People stated age discrimination and unconscious bias are prevalent in workplaces.  Wote Street People reveals: ‘Workers over 50 make up a third of the UK workforce, yet this age group faces ageism in the job market. Workers over 50 often experience employment barriers and limited opportunities for promotion.’

• Institutional ageism was revealed in research on local authorities by older person’s charity Age UK. The charity found many older people are struggling to access vital local public services provided by their council in an increasingly digital world and are left disadvantaged. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “The digitisation of local services is accelerating but it’s important for councils to remember that not everyone is online. “In fact, millions of older people are not computer users at all and are at serious risk of being excluded from services and support to which they are just as entitled as everyone else.”

• Institutional ageism was evident during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Centre for Ageing Better ‘saw attempts to limit the lifesaving resources available to older people [by GPs], with do not attempt resuscitation decisions being made without consultation with individuals or their families.’

Responding to a report by the Care Quality Commission into the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) orders in England during the pandemic, Amnesty International was critical of the CQC.

Kate Allen, director of Amnesty International UK, said: “The widespread use of blanket DNACPR orders is not just wrong but unlawful.

“While the CQC has highlighted the distress some patients and their families have been subjected to – and has made recommendations to improve decision making in the future – what about the unknown number of DNACPRs applied unlawfully that remain in place?”

What is the impact of ageism?   

Ageism can have negative consequences for your physical health, mental health, economic wellbeing and human rights.

It can erode links between generations, limit people’s ability to benefit from what younger and older populations can contribute. It can also hurt the economy.

Ageism has been linked to abuse and even early deaths.

The WHO reported in 2017, that a review found 1 in 6 people aged 60+ had experienced some form of elder abuse, including emotional, physical, sexual, or financial abuse.

Anyone who has been a victim of elder abuse or if you are worried an older person is being abused, you can call the Hourglass helpline 0808 808 8141. To report fraud, contact Action Fraud or report crime to the police.

According to WHO, ‘ageism is associated with earlier death by 7.5 years, poorer physical and mental health, and slower recovery from disability in older age.

‘Ageism also increases risky health behaviours, such as eating an unhealthy diet, drinking excessively or smoking, and reduces our quality of life.’

How can you challenge ageism?

The WHO states that even though ageism exists, ‘it can be combated’.

Institutions, communities and individuals can do much to help stop ageism.  

‘Policies and laws, educational activities and intergenerational interventions have all been proven to work to reduce ageism’. 

Educational initiatives can boost empathy, dispel misconceptions about different age groups and reduce prejudice.

Some institutions are trying to combat ageism with more inclusive guidelines. In 2022, university and college staff were told to stop calling older people ‘OAPs’ and ‘pensioners’ because it was ageist.

Educational institutions including the University of Manchester told its staff to call over-60s ‘mature individuals’, ‘older people’ or ‘learners.’

Top 10 tips to combat ageism

Here’s some tips to tackle ageist attitudes towards older people. 

• Be aware of ageism when you see it. Recognise when people make judgments about a person because of their age. Don’t be afraid to call it out by speaking out and busting myths/stereotypes linked to a person’s age. Be calm and open to having a conversation about it.   

• Don’t assume all older people are the same or like the same things. E.g. older people are often assumed to be wealthy but the truth is many struggle with living costs.

• Avoid ageist terms such as ‘old person’, ‘OAP’ or ‘elderly’. Instead use ‘older person/people’, ‘older adults’ or ‘people in later life’. Avoid ageist expressions such as ‘over the hill’. Avoid metaphors that present old age in terms of crisis.

• Share positive images, statements and real-life stories about older people.

• Spend time with older people, listen to what they have to say, their stories, and you and those around you could learn something from their skills and experience.  

• , Give older people a voice. For example, at conferences and company training/away days, company bosses can invite older people as speakers to share experiences/wisdom. Let older people mentor younger people. At businesses, universities, local events, clubs and societies, you can celebrate the skills of people of all ages.  

• Intergenerational activities, which bring together people of different generations, can reduce prejudice and stereotypes. Anyone can bring different ages together (e.g. over 65s and children) to build ‘more inclusive’, communities, break down stereotypes and age discrimination. This, for example, can be done by hosting intergenerational activities at schools, care homes and community centres.   

• Contact local media to challenge ageism in articles and other forms of media coverage.

• Write to your local Member of Parliament to highlight ageism in government policies.

• Advertising can use unrealistic depictions of older people. Older people tend to be invisible in advertising unless the product is specifically designed for older people. Avoid and challenge unrealistic representations of older people. Older people don’t have to look young or be a champion weightlifter to enjoy life when they are older. You can complain about ageism in advertising by reporting it to the Advertising Standards Authority.