Ageism is considered to be the last acceptable form of prejudice. In order to tackle ageism, we must recognize the roots of prejudice: misinformation and stereotypes, which result in the “othering” of our elders. As individuals across the life course increasingly divide humans between the young versus the old, we are far less likely to seek companions of other age groups and establish intergenerational connections. I created a flow chart for people to test their own assumptions about ageist stereotypes. Some examples include: “ Do you worry about which clothes are age appropriate?” or “Do you think people become sadder as they age?” The purpose of this exercise was to enhance awareness of the diversity of seniors so they are less-often portrayed as one homogenous group: old. Ultimately, nobody should fear aging because it’s a universal experience that we will (hopefully) all be able to learn from.
I interviewed my grandmothers, Mollie and Dood, about their perceptions of ageist myths. Mollie recalled, “I used to begrudgingly visit nursing homes. I now look back and think ‘wow, you are now one of those ancient people you never wanted to visit in the past.’ At my current retirement community, we are learning that we can still have value in old age. You're expected to be young if you're beautiful and athletic and talented. Everyone's so startled when you succeed at things when you're old, like being a beautiful singer." At her retirement community in Denver, Mollie is as active as ever: constantly reading, mingling with other retirees, taking supplemental education classes, baking for neighbors, and singing backup in the Clermont Park theater performances. She recognizes that, "we are not elderly, we are elders! And if you're an elder then you have a lot of wisdom."
Similarly, Dood defies just about every ageist stereotype in the books. She’s in her mid-90s and loves books, wine, travel, fashion, and a good steak. Her eldest daughter told her not to wear jean jackets because they’re “not suitable for women her age,” but she found a way to cuff the sleeves stylishly and ignore the negativity. In response to my asking how active she feels nowadays, she replied, “I'm 94 and I feel about 60! …Well, let's say I feel 80… more realistically." If it weren’t for her waning eyesight, Dood would feel younger than people half her age. Every winter, Dood paints watercolor cards for the whole family. Although these cards are becoming increasingly abstract, they remain as charming as ever.
Ultimately, it’s time for our divided society to recognize that people of all ages and backgrounds share the same earth where time passes equally fast. I’m lucky to have positive aging influences, such as Mollie and Dood, but anybody can use this time to reach out to elderly relatives or neighbors. We would fear the aging process much less if we understood how fun it can be.
I interviewed my grandmothers, Mollie and Dood, about their perceptions of ageist myths. Mollie recalled, “I used to begrudgingly visit nursing homes. I now look back and think ‘wow, you are now one of those ancient people you never wanted to visit in the past.’ At my current retirement community, we are learning that we can still have value in old age. You're expected to be young if you're beautiful and athletic and talented. Everyone's so startled when you succeed at things when you're old, like being a beautiful singer." At her retirement community in Denver, Mollie is as active as ever: constantly reading, mingling with other retirees, taking supplemental education classes, baking for neighbors, and singing backup in the Clermont Park theater performances. She recognizes that, "we are not elderly, we are elders! And if you're an elder then you have a lot of wisdom."
Similarly, Dood defies just about every ageist stereotype in the books. She’s in her mid-90s and loves books, wine, travel, fashion, and a good steak. Her eldest daughter told her not to wear jean jackets because they’re “not suitable for women her age,” but she found a way to cuff the sleeves stylishly and ignore the negativity. In response to my asking how active she feels nowadays, she replied, “I'm 94 and I feel about 60! …Well, let's say I feel 80… more realistically." If it weren’t for her waning eyesight, Dood would feel younger than people half her age. Every winter, Dood paints watercolor cards for the whole family. Although these cards are becoming increasingly abstract, they remain as charming as ever.
Ultimately, it’s time for our divided society to recognize that people of all ages and backgrounds share the same earth where time passes equally fast. I’m lucky to have positive aging influences, such as Mollie and Dood, but anybody can use this time to reach out to elderly relatives or neighbors. We would fear the aging process much less if we understood how fun it can be.