AGEISM IS EVERYWHERE. THE KEY IS TO BE ABLE TO SPOT IT.
Where is ageism?
Ageism toward older adults is the most widespread and yet most tolerated form of discrimination, despite the fact that it can occur regardless of gender, ethnicity or social status.
In Canada, nearly two out of three older adults report having been treated unfairly or differently because of their age. In addition, eight in ten Canadians feel that older adults ages 75 and above are perceived as less important and are more often ignored than younger generations.
In this context, it is important that we be sensitive to the contexts that can fuel ageist perceptions, attitudes and behaviours.
In this section, we focus on how:
- Ageism shows up in everyday life;
- The media reproduce ageist discourse and contribute to maintaining certain stereotypes;
- Workplaces can be conducive to ageism;
- Health care can be provided and older adults treated in an ageist way; and
- We can be ageist toward ourselves, which is called self-ageism.