EVERYDAY AGEISM

It’s the last tolerated prejudice. But Femail’s had enough. It’s time we called out those day-to-day moments when we’re patronised for no longer being young . . .

A COLLEAGUE writes about going Corona Crazy — how lockdown has brought our her inner eccentric. I know what she means. Social isolation does give one licence to march to the beat of one’s own drum.

I became acutely aware of this the other day catching a glimpse of the DHL man catching a glimpse of me — in my back support posture corrector, sheepy bedroom slippers and Stanley tool-belt apron (great for clothes pegs, phone and dog treats), while hanging out the washing. But then, I’m not really in social isolation, because I have my family around me. What if it was just me? Would I, in some way, be perceived differently? There are plenty of studies out there which link living alone to premature ageing. But as a society we may be egging the link along, treating those who live alone somehow differently than those who don’t.

I do it with my mum, who has lived alone out of choice for more than 20 years. In lockdown especially, I find myself ascribing a battiness to her which isn’t necessarily there. Meanwhile, if you see someone walking their dog in a tool-belt apron and sheepy slippers, that’ll be me.