Agism Flashcards
UN Decade Action Ideas
1) Combatting Ageism
2) Age-friendly Environments
3) Integrated Care
4) Long Term Care
Why Study Aging and Older Adults?
A. To Challenge ,refute, and eliminate myths about aging and older people
B. To know thyself’ and others by examining personal journeys across the life course
C. To assist and support older family members as they move through the later stages of life
D. To prepare for a job or career in which the mandate is to address aging issues or to serve an older population
E. To enhance the quality and quantity of interaction with older people in your personal and professional life
F. To help Canada become a healthy and active older society
Ageing population effects
Healthy system will be affected, more strain
However, good for business, physical activity mindset with new generation
Ageism
Discrimination (altered treatment or behavior) based on
age or assumed age
Positive forms of Agism
Older people are wise
Agism misconception
It can be discrimination of younger people to older people and of courses the other way around.
Birthday cards about aging
Major Negative themes
Messages that propagate stereotypes
Life is essentially over, nothing left to look forward to
Not showing your age
Aging is not good, but things could be worse
Birthday cards about aging
Major Positive themes
Celebrating a special milestone
Things getting better with age
Age is a matter of mind
Covid 19 and Agism
Stereotyping Older Adults: They were often portrayed as universally frail and vulnerable, reinforcing negative stereotypes.
Medical Deprioritization: In some regions, younger patients were prioritized over older adults for critical care, raising ethical concerns.
Increased Isolation: Social distancing measures intensified loneliness among older adults, especially in care facilities.
Workplace Discrimination: Older workers were more likely to face layoffs due to assumptions about adaptability.
Negative Media: COVID-19 was framed as an “old person’s disease,” devaluing older lives.
Benevolent Ageism: Well-meaning restrictions ignored older adults’ autonomy in decision-making.
What are some negative perceptions commonly associated with aging?
Aging is often equated with illness, losses, loneliness, asexuality, and poverty
How does ageism affect older adults?
Ageism creates social and self-imposed barriers to lifestyle choices, access, social acceptance, and self-esteem.
What is a damaging effect of ageist stereotypes according to Levy (2003)?
Individuals targeted by ageist stereotypes may start to believe that these stereotypes accurately describe them.
What are challenges in identifying and measuring personal experiences with ageism?
Challenges include the subjective nature of ageism, the internalization of stereotypes by individuals, and the difficulty in separating ageism from other forms of discrimination or personal biases.
What is the stereotype threat hypothesis in the context of aging?
It’s the idea that when an older adult fears their behavior will align with aging stereotypes, their performance may decrease due to fear or anxiety.
How does stereotype threat affect task performance in older adults?
Anxiety or fear of fitting into an aging stereotype (e.g., memory loss) can cause older adults to perform poorly on tasks, even if their abilities are not actually impaired.
