Another post on Ageism

Ageism--Stereotyping and Discrimination Ageism has been defined as the process of systematic stereotyping and discrimination against older people because of age, with a distinct valuing of younger age groups. It is really any prejudice or discrimination against or in favour of any age group.

Regarding older adults, ageism allows people to covertly justify certain discriminatory behaviours, and tolerate activities toward older adults that would be considered unacceptable if experienced by other adults. Systemic ageism can include the design and everyday operations of workplaces, services, programs and facilities.

Discrimination may also happen when a rule, condition, policy or practice that is the same for everyone has an unfair effect on a person because of their age. Institutional ageism includes missions, rules, and practices that discriminate against individuals and or groups because of their older age:

•        Choices regarding scarce resources (respirators during COVID for younger people before seniors)

•        Mandatory retirement

•        Absence of older persons in clinical trials (vaccinations, drugs)

•        Devaluing of older persons in cost-benefit analyses (not valuing their skill set, experience, and volunteering)

Ageism has been called a “pervasive and sinister plague” in Canada. The most commonly named forms of ageism faced by seniors in Canada were:

•        treating them as if they’re invisible (41 percent);

•        acting as if they have nothing to contribute (38 percent);

•        assuming they’re incompetent (27 percent).

Canadians over 65 perceived a variety of perpetrators for these attitudes, including:

•        people younger than themselves (56 percent);

•        health care professionals and the health care system (34 percent); and

•        the government (27 percent).

Age cases tend to be treated differently than other discrimination cases… which in comparable circumstances would generate outrage if the ground of discrimination were say race, sex or disability.

Paradoxically the people who like old people are more likely to engage in ‘over accommodating’ language (“dear” “mum” “sweetie”) Ageism and healthcare Seniors are often interacting with the healthcare system, for obvious reasons.

·        Absence of services for older adults

·        Focus on acute care and cure rather than chronic care

·        Age-based decision-making in health (“age rationing”)

·        Making decisions about the quality of older people’s lives

·        Paternalism

·        Omission from clinical trials

·        Less treatment for mental health issues (15% of mental health care; 80% for 20-64)

·        Forced decisions

·        Also gender bias – more radical mastectomies, less reconstructive surgery

·        Overmedication of older adults:

o   anxiety meds double over 65

o   hypnotic medication use more than triple

o   Polypharmacy’ – multiple drugs (2out of 3 Canadians age 65+ take at least 5 prescription medications. 1 out of 4 Canadians age 65+ takes at least 10 prescription medications.)

o   Medication can be a form of ‘restraint’ in care homes (over medication)

o   40% of all emergency department visits by older adults are medication related

Video on Ageism On Aging Canadian Conversations: Ageism with Margaret Gillis - YouTube (30 minutes)