Same old story
Most people 50 and older complain of ageism, a new U.S. study suggests
About 82 per cent of Americans 50 and older say they have experienced prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping based on their age, new research suggests.
Ageism can occur as jokes about memory or hearing, comments about difficulty using cellphones or computers, or even passively through advertising and other forms of messaging about undesirable signs of aging, such as wrinkles or grey hair.
The new research, by the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging, found 65 per cent of those polled said they had been exposed to “ageist messages” in their day-to-day lives, including hearing, seeing or reading jokes about old age, aging or older people.
The Michigan research found that those who reported experiencing more ageism in their everyday lives were more likely to have poor mental and physical health, a finding that has been noted in other research. The data in the U.S. poll was based on a nationally representative sample of 2,048 people ages 50 to 80.
The poll was conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, along with AARP and Michigan Medicine. One of the researchers described ageism as “one of the most common and socially condoned forms of prejudice and discrimination.” Even so, the survey reported that 65 per cent of older adults say life after 50 is better than they thought it would be.
And the problem of ageism is similar in Canada, other experts say. A 2018 survey by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, for example, found it to be a problem in their profession, as well as generally.
“There’s a lot of talk about how to adapt to millennials and far less on how to adapt to people as they age — 50 or 60 plus,” says Cathie Brow, senior vice-president of human resources and communications with Revera, a leading owner, operator and investor in the senior living sector.
“It’s important for businesses to take advantage of what (this) employment market has to offer. Older Canadians actually have a lot to contribute,” Brow says.
Argued as being an accepted form of discrimination, ageism comes in many forms from the “senior’s moment” jokes to “you’re too experienced” insinuations during a job interview to “when are you going to retire” workplace inquiries. It can be nuanced, unintentional, and difficult to prove.
“Ageism is the most tolerated form of social prejudice in Canada,” Brow said. “We recognize what it means to be sexist when we don’t intend to be. We recognize what it means to be racist when we don’t intend to be.
“Similarly, I think we need to recognize what it means to be ageist. The existence of ageism is real.”
Sentiments that a worker may be too old or too expensive are myths that need to be dispelled, says Wanda Morris, vice-president of advocacy for seniors advocacy association CARP (formerly known as the Canadian Association for Retired Persons).
Morris points to other common misperceptions, including that older workers aren’t tech savvy, or will have more absences, health issues and limited longevity compared to their younger contemporaries. This feeds a false belief that overall they will cost a business more.
“It’s almost embedded in some of the language in the workforce: ‘We want a digital native — someone who grew up on computers,’” Morris says. “People want to invest in employees who are here for the longer term.
“The truth is, there is much more turnover among young people than older workers, who tend to be more loyal.
So employers, Morris says, “may be pursuing the wrong group of people.”
The Washington Post, with files from Postmedia News