When the United Nations (UN) and World Health Organization (WHO) released the landmark Global Report on Ageism in March 2021, they declared combating ageism as one of three action areas for the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030). How society thinks, feels and acts towards people based on their age stigmatizes older people, resulting in poor health and economic well-being. Intergenerational programming is an effective antidote to the ageism epidemic.
What is Ageism?
According to the Global Report on Ageism, ageism refers to stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) directed toward people based on their age. It can be institutional, interpersonal or self-directed.
“Ageism starts in childhood and is reinforced over time. From an early age, children pick up cues from those around them about their culture’s stereotypes and prejudices, which are soon internalized. People then use these stereotypes to make inferences and to guide their feelings and behaviours towards people of different ages and towards themselves,” the Global Report says.
How Does Ageism Show Up?
Ageism rears its head in many ways. Seniors are often judged as deaf, frail and incompetent. Older workers may be marginalized in the workplace. Many people feel unheard in the healthcare system where practitioners and family members often dismiss their concerns or, worse, neglect them in facilities. These situations can make people feel lonely, vulnerable and depressed, leading to abuse or neglect, including self-neglect.
In a review of 422 studies on ageism and health from around the world, 95.5 percent of the studies found ageism negatively impacted the health of older adults through structural (e.g., hindering access to health care, exclusion from health research) and individual effects (e.g., contributing to mental and physical illness, risky health behaviours).
In a separate study, 80% of Canadians agreed with the statement, “Adults 75 and older are seen as less important and are more often ignored than younger generations.” In contrast, 51 percent agreed that “ageism is the most tolerated social prejudice when compared to gender or race-based discrimination.”
Intergenerational Programs Reduce Ageism in Canada
The UN and WHO identified three strategies to reduce ageism:
- Policies and laws
- Educational interventions
- Investments in intergenerational contact
Respectful and purposeful intergenerational connections bring together younger and older individuals and improve social-emotional health. This empowers both generations to stand on their own and together against the mistreatment of all ages. Intergenerational programs are thriving in some BC communities: preschools are located in seniors’ centres, youth groups visit long-term care homes, seniors read in classrooms and Indigenous elders teach language and other cultural programs to youth.
Children are a rich resource in the effort to combat ageism. By involving them now, we give them the tools to build respectful relationships with people across the generations and for themselves as they move through life.
Generally, older adults are very open to connecting with children. Through creating friendships across the aging spectrum, older adults empathize with children and youth as they face their common generational issues of bullying and abuse.
During the process, attitudes shift. Younger people learn to understand rather than fear the issues of aging. When the power of respectful intergenerational connectivity is unleashed, society changes. Individuals of different generations nurture friendships, understanding and compassion while strengthening their communities.
Intergenerational Programming for Your Community
In response to the Global Report on Ageism, WHO developed Connecting generations: planning and implementing interventions for intergenerational contact. This guide builds on the three strategies of addressing ageism with policy, law and educational interventions.
The guide provides step-by-step guidance for anyone who wishes to use intergenerational practice to combat ageism and promote understanding and mutual respect among generations.
One of the best ways to create intergenerational programming is to bring community members of the target age groups together to discuss ideas. What would the kids like to learn? What would the seniors like to know or share? What sounds like fun?
For programs to be successful, participants need to be engaged and committed to the process. While one group of teens might want to learn how to crochet or play bridge, another might want to discuss books or listen to music. Seniors might want to learn more about the internet or plant a garden with some helping hands.
It has been proven that the best intergenerational practice follows three principles:
Collaboration
Empower both generations to be responsible for planning, implementation, celebration and evaluation. They work as a leadership team.
Simplicity
Plan simple activities to free up time for being together, listening and talking.
Fun
Sustain the relationship by making activities fun for everyone.
An important tip from BC CRN’s Intergenerational Community Guide is to ensure the activities are neither too stressful nor too time-consuming for the participants.
National Seniors Day is October 1
What better way to lead into Ageism Awareness Day on October 7 than to start the month with National Seniors Day on October 1?
National Seniors Day on October 1, formally known as the UN International Day for Older Persons, was declared in Canada in 2010 to acknowledge the contributions of older people. Many Canadians over 65 are active, vibrant and contributing to the economy.
In 2021, 18 percent of the Canadian population was 65 or older. That’s expected to grow to 24 percent by the end of the 2030s. According to Employment and Social Development Canada, people live longer and healthier than previous generations, and 14 percent continue to work and volunteer for many years.
Numerous studies show that volunteerism is linked to stronger social networks and improved quality of life. In these times of hiring shortages and unfilled jobs, many seniors are filling a gap in the labour market. Older people use their many skills to contribute to their communities by sharing a lifetime of knowledge and experience, from chairing boards and providing consulting services to teaching their peers and younger generations.
Celebrating Canada’s Seniors with Local Events
Honouring our elders can be through personal actions or community-wide. Families can gather to hear their older family members talk about their childhood or young adult memories. A family meal, a game of cards or looking through old photo albums are all ways to spend meaningful time with family.
As CRNs, we may wish to host a gathering to celebrate our older community members. A few ideas include:
- Host a dinner or lunch for local seniors. Include a slideshow of attendees’ favourite photos, play music from bygone days or invite a live entertainer over the age of 65.
- Have a multi-generational event and invite seniors to teach youth skills, such as baking, crocheting or doing a small woodworking project. It could also be a coffee, tea and snacks gathering with elders telling stories about what they did as children and teens.
- Start early and ask your group to nominate a Senior of the Year. This could be someone who volunteers at a local seniors’ serving agency, a business owner, a local athlete or anyone over 65 who they see serving the community in some way.
- Work with the local library to hold a living library book event. Library visitors can spend time with seniors to hear personal stories.
Related links
- International Day of Older Persons
- National Seniors Council
- New Horizons for Seniors Program – Engaging seniors, strengthening communities
- Aging & Seniors
- United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing – The Platform
- World Health Organization: Connecting generations: planning and implementing interventions for intergenerational contact
For more resources on ageism, check our lengthy library of research papers, articles, webinars and more.
Visit our website to learn more about BC CRN or connect with your local CRN for more information or resources.
