Ageism:
It’s Bad for Your Health
Bev Mallett | Chair, Wellness Committee
“Deport seniors instead of immigrants, they’re easier to catch” was the
heading of a recent letter to our local newspaper. The writer was trying to
make the point that asylum seekers should be welcomed to Canada, but
seniors should be deported to countries “like Syria, Somalia, and Sri Lanka” to
lower the cost of social security and medical care, “saving society hundreds
of millions of taxpayer dollars.”
Although the writer of the letter
might have been writing tongue-
in-cheek, one can imagine the
outrage that would result if,
instead of the word ‘seniors,’
other descriptive words, such as
those identifying a person’s race,
gender, or religious affiliation
were used. Most people
recognize that prejudice based
on race, gender, and religion is
wrong and harmful to society.
But ageism has not received the
same attention in the media as
other forms of prejudice.
The term ageism was coined
in 1968 by psychiatrist Robert
Butler, and, according to the
World Health Organization
(WHO), is stereotyping
and discrimination against
individuals or groups on the
basis of age. It can take many
forms, including prejudicial
attitudes, discriminatory
practices, and institutional
policies that perpetuate
stereotypical beliefs. A study
by Dr. Margaret Penning of the
University of Victoria found
that age discrimination was
found to be more commonly
reported than either gender or
racial discrimination.
Ageism is prevalent and
acceptable in society and stems
from the assumption that all
members of a group (in the
case of this article, older adults)
are the same. This attitude
has serious implications for
seniors and for society at large.
In the year 2050, research has
indicated that thirty per cent
or more of the population in
‘developed’ countries will be
aged sixty or older.
news&views SPRING 2019 | 51