Ageism Awareness Requires Year-Round Vigilance

GSA joined partners across the aging field to mobilize for the annual Ageism Awareness Day on October 9. It’s up to all of us to be mindful of confronting ageism when we see it and even assess ageism we may find within ourselves. Together we can have a ripple effect that will lead to sustained change down the road.

As hosted by our colleagues at the American Society on Aging (ASA), this annual observance offers an opportunity to draw attention to the impact of ageism in our society and how we can reframe aging in our communities. GSA’s National Center to Reframe Aging — the leading organization providing expertise in effective communication strategies surrounding aging issues — recently teamed up with ASA for an Ageism Awareness Day webinar that’s now available for on-demand viewing. Viewers will learn how taking steps to eliminate ageism benefits us all.

The National Center also used the occasion to send letters to the Merriam Webster and Oxford Dictionaries, asking them to alter their definition of ageism from “prejudice or discrimination against a particular age-group, especially the elderly” to “…especially older people.” We know from reframing research that small but important changes like these can affect attitudes toward aging. The letter was co-signed by 398 organizations and individuals!

And the National Center offers its own set of tools to use year-round; there are many resources now available at reframingaging.org that I encourage you to check out. These include a Quick Start Guide, Best Practices Guide, and other tools. Just recently, an Advocacy Guide was added.

Ageism is entrenched in our society, but thankfully more people are taking notice. The movement to reframe aging is a long-term social change endeavor. But we continually see signs that the needle can be moved, and it’s up to all of us to use our collective strength to ensure a just future for all. I encourage all GSA members to play a part in bringing attention to ageism awareness inside your respective organizations 365 days a year.