Ignoring Stereotypes and Seeking Equality

My Battle With Ageism

Photo by Dave Hoefler on Unsplash

I wrote about age being just a number a few weeks ago. I’m 85, but think of myself as 75, and I like the idea of 85 being the new 65. But please don’t think of me in generic terms of what I can and can’t do based on my age.

And please don’t call me an old lady even though that’s precisely what my age says - maybe really old. I don’t feel like it - most of the time, I do my best not to walk, talk, and act like it and don’t want people to assume they know what I can and can’t do. Ageism, misinformation, and myths don’t portray who I am.

Ageism is discrimination against older people because of negative and inaccurate stereotypes—it's so ingrained in the culture that we often don't notice.

The APA (American Psychological Association) says

The attitudes that underlie age bias are often rooted in falsehoods. While it’s true the risk of some chronic diseases and dementia increases with age, most older adults maintain pretty good health and cognitive functioning.

Aging is a diverse process, and there are significant differences between individuals.

Dr. Becca Levy looked at beliefs about getting older in the book Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live. In every case, she found information contradicting the negative stereotype and highlighted a strength that comes with aging. She used the stereotype that people become less creative as they age and offered examples of more innovative artists later in life, such as Grandma Moses and Claude Monet.

Research from Georgia State University shows that attitudes toward aging are highly predictive of aging outcomes.

I wanted to share Ramona Grigg’s article on ageism, 87 and Counting, with you again. She says it so well.

You can read many articles, including four that I wrote, that identify and dispute misinformation about aging.

• Ageism

• Myths, Fake News, and Lies

• Don’t Call Me An Old Lady

• It’s Not Necessarily So

I plan to be me and do whatever I can, no matter what they say, with as positive an attitude as I can muster. What you believe about aging is up to you - and it makes a difference.

P. S. I’d love to have you share the Aging Well Newsletter with others. I want to bring the lessons I’ve learned through my years of life and caregiving to as many people as possible. More than anything, I want to continue to expand our community of readers.

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If you want to contribute to my work, consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association. This link takes you to their website. The choice is yours.