The ongoing issues with ageism

We may not realise it but ageism - discrimination on the grounds of someone’s age - is all around us. It may be that you are treated differently in the workplace because of your age, assumptions that you are unable to use technology, or your family believing you are lonely or aren't able to take care of yourself.

Key Points:

• Ageism can have an impact on every facet of your life, including physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially

• Sixty-four percent of older people indicated they had experienced ageism in the last five years

• Sometimes ageism is present among older people, due to years of developed internalised ageism

Ageism is prejudice towards a person because of their age, which can include stereotyping, discrimination and mistreatment.

EveryAGE Counts, an advocacy campaign tackling ageism, describes ageism as “not benign or harmless".

“It is a big problem because it impacts on our confidence, quality of life, job prospects, health, and control over life decisions.”