Let’s take a stand against ageism

On October 1, in observing the International Day of Older Persons, United Nations takes a stand against ageism by drawing attention to and challenging negative stereotypes and misconceptions about older persons and ageing. This year UN member countries plan for this day almost after a little less than half a century, when in 1968 Robert Neil Butler, a well known American physician, gerontologist, psychiatrist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author first coined the term ageism to bring to attention the dismissive and contemptuous attitude toward the elderly and their diseases by many in society including the medical community. Butler throughout his career fought to overturn what he called “the quiet despair, deprivation, desolation and muted rage that go with growing old” and with his work and writing tried to replace it with dignity, respect and fulfilment for the ageing.

Today, many working in the field of ageing recognise the contributions of older persons and examine issues that affect their lives and want to combat ageism by giving attention to the achievements of senior citizens which make for a better society.

Many international institutions including the World Health Organisation, which is the UN’s directing and coordinating authority for health related issues, have been actively involved in promoting public awareness and attention to fighting ageism by advocating for the provision of adequate healthcare for aged persons, facilities for volunteer work, services for social care, and ways to be more inclusive for older persons in the workforce. WHO, in particular, promotes a campaign against ageism, which is stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age by recognising the serious and insidious impact of ageist attitudes and practices on the lives of older people. Like racism and sexism, ageism is now serving a social and economic purpose in legitimising and sustaining inequalities between groups, and becoming a driving force behind age discrimination. In fact, current research suggests that ageism may now be even more pervasive than sexism and racism and has serious consequences both for older people and society at large and is a major barrier to developing good ageing policies.

In many countries, negative attitudes on ageing, which are mistakenly thought to reflect normal ageing, are widely present within the health and social-care settings where older adults are at their most vulnerable. Stereotypes of physical and cognitive decline, lack of physical activity, being an economic burden, which are so ingrained in societies, need to be stopped. Greater emphasis is required on long-term care for older people with better quality working conditions for care givers. Legislating against age-based discrimination at all levels, including at the work place and by ensuring a balanced view of ageing in society, probably to be communicated forcefully by media is becoming a pressing need in countries, especially those rapidly ageing, where living beyond sixties and seventies is a reality for a majority and while continuing to make valuable contributions to family and community. These days as seen around us biological ageing is only loosely associated with person age in years. Some 70 or 80 years old have physical and mental capacities similar to those in younger age groups and some young are experiencing declines in health, associated with old age. Healthy ageing is achievable by every person given conducive environments, thus comprehensive public health action requires fundamental shifts in how we think about ageing and health. For instance, health and social care expenditures instead of being seen as costs to society should be viewed as investments in realising opportunities and enabling older people to continue to make their many positive contributions.

Clearly, healthcare systems must become older person centred and focus on maintaining capacities as people age. There is need to improve availability of assistive living technologies, increasingly seen as a human right, and an integrated system of long-term care which upholds older persons autonomy and dignity, be it in providing housing options, making buildings and transport accessible, and giving older people social protection and security. Old age poverty is becoming an issue to tackle in many ageing societies and it requires adequate and appropriate inter-sectoral policies and programs. As part of the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on ageing and health adopted by countries in May 2016 there is a campaign to optimise policy responses and combat ageism by questioning ageist attitudes and their negative impact on older people. Marginalisation of older persons needs to be stopped as much as their social isolation. Comprehensive policies on healthy ageing by creating age friendly environments that can help prevent care dependency later in life, are necessary to stop ageism prevailing in our society. For this, as WHO report on ageing and health indicates we need to enhance universal healthcare, address non-communicable diseases, and develop long-term-care systems.

Illustrations of prevailing ageism in societies is seen in terms of increasing incidence of elder abuse, by some world accounts being stated as around one in 10 older people experience abuse every month, notwithstanding the fact that elder abuse is underestimated as many cases go unreported.

Combating ageism along with multiple sectors and interdisciplinary collaboration between healthcare, social care and educational systems can contribute to reducing elder abuse, a growing problem of ageing societies as the population of older persons expands rapidly. As people across the world live longer, soaring levels of chronic illness and diminished wellbeing are poised to become a major global challenge to take a stand against ageism as observations of UNIDOP across nations among governments and civil society members take place.

Mala Kapur Shankardass is a health sociologist and gerontologist. She works as associate professor, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi.