What is Ageism?
Ageism was originally defined by Dr. Robert Butler in 1969 and many researchers and organizations have attempted to define it since then, based on their needs and interests. Some definitions include a description of how ageism is developed within societies and individuals and some also describe the consequences of ageism. The quest for the perfect complete definition of ageism is likely to continue for decades to come. However, the common thread that runs through all definitions is the presence of negative messages about aging and older people.
Ageism messages can be defined as simply as negative messages about aging that are sent by the government, businesses and organizations through policies, regulations, news media, images of all kinds, entertainment media, information systems, technology, physical structures, and of course, messages sent by individual people. Ageism messages from people can be conveyed with words, voice tone and volume, or expressions, gestures, and behavior, both actions and inaction. “Other” people can send ageism messages directly to us and when we think negatively about aging we also send ageism messages to ourselves.
We begin to develop ageism during childhood and we all participate in ageism on some level at some point in time. People working in the health and helping professions are not exceptions. Research has confirmed that messages about aging in professional publications have been predominately negative for the last 140 years, and the language and labels used in our textbooks continue to be sources of ageism. Research has even confirmed that ageism influences how professionals diagnose and treat older people.
As an educator in the health and helping professions, I believe our first step toward combating ageism must be to address our internalized ageism within the health and helping professions, which is one of the reasons why I developed Ageism First Aid.
Why Should We Do Something About Ageism?
Ageism messages influence our feelings, perceptions, and expectations about what aging will be like for the people we care about, and what aging will be like for us. In other words, ageism messages make a mark on our subconscious minds called stigma. Those marks build up over time and as they do they influence our beliefs about aging and our beliefs impact our actual experience of aging.
That statement is not an exaggeration. Way back in the 70s self-efficacy research confirmed that what we believe about our ability to accomplish something is important and now, a growing body of aging-related research is helping us understand how self-efficacy relates to aging. For example, we now know that people who believe the myth memory loss is normal as we age are more likely to experience increased memory failures than a person who does not believe in the memory-loss myth. We also know that older people who believe in their ability to walk around an obstacle course can do better on the course than people who are measurably stronger, but don’t believe in their ability.
Luckily self-efficacy research also confirms that educational interventions can help change beliefs about our abilities, increase our success, and increase our well-being. That is another reason why I developed Ageism First Aid.
Ageism was originally defined by Dr. Robert Butler in 1969 and many researchers and organizations have attempted to define it since then, based on their needs and interests. Some definitions include a description of how ageism is developed within societies and individuals and some also describe the consequences of ageism. The quest for the perfect complete definition of ageism is likely to continue for decades to come. However, the common thread that runs through all definitions is the presence of negative messages about aging and older people.
Ageism messages can be defined as simply as negative messages about aging that are sent by the government, businesses and organizations through policies, regulations, news media, images of all kinds, entertainment media, information systems, technology, physical structures, and of course, messages sent by individual people. Ageism messages from people can be conveyed with words, voice tone and volume, or expressions, gestures, and behavior, both actions and inaction. “Other” people can send ageism messages directly to us and when we think negatively about aging we also send ageism messages to ourselves.
We begin to develop ageism during childhood and we all participate in ageism on some level at some point in time. People working in the health and helping professions are not exceptions. Research has confirmed that messages about aging in professional publications have been predominately negative for the last 140 years, and the language and labels used in our textbooks continue to be sources of ageism. Research has even confirmed that ageism influences how professionals diagnose and treat older people.
As an educator in the health and helping professions, I believe our first step toward combating ageism must be to address our internalized ageism within the health and helping professions, which is one of the reasons why I developed Ageism First Aid.
Why Should We Do Something About Ageism?
Ageism messages influence our feelings, perceptions, and expectations about what aging will be like for the people we care about, and what aging will be like for us. In other words, ageism messages make a mark on our subconscious minds called stigma. Those marks build up over time and as they do they influence our beliefs about aging and our beliefs impact our actual experience of aging.
That statement is not an exaggeration. Way back in the 70s self-efficacy research confirmed that what we believe about our ability to accomplish something is important and now, a growing body of aging-related research is helping us understand how self-efficacy relates to aging. For example, we now know that people who believe the myth memory loss is normal as we age are more likely to experience increased memory failures than a person who does not believe in the memory-loss myth. We also know that older people who believe in their ability to walk around an obstacle course can do better on the course than people who are measurably stronger, but don’t believe in their ability.
Luckily self-efficacy research also confirms that educational interventions can help change beliefs about our abilities, increase our success, and increase our well-being. That is another reason why I developed Ageism First Aid.