Ageism
We all want to live in a world where people are valued and treated with respect at any age.
However, Ageism can have an impact on our quality of life, our confidence and feelings of independence.
Ageism involves people thinking, feeling and acting negatively about getting older, older people and this stage of life. It can can affect people in many ways and result in stereotyping, mistreatment and discrimination.
Ageism is a driver of elder abuse and can lead to being excluded from making decisions about our life, or someone making assumptions that we cannot live independently.
No one should be mistreated, disrespected or excluded.
We have written a message guide to help us talk and write about age, ageing and issues that affect older people in ways that reduce ageist attitudes and behaviours.
The guide is for everyone who talks to our community about older people in any context. Whether you’re a journalist writing about the experiences of people on pensions, a council worker talking about the services available to older members of the community or a passionate advocate developing a public awareness campaign on ageism, this guide is designed for you.