Ageism: Let

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Ageism Lets Update Our Language

• Peggy Schafer, RD
• National Policy Resource Center on Nutrition
  Aging

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What is Ageism?

• Any prejudice or discrimination against or in
  favor of an age group
• Prejudice against an age group negative
  stereotype about that group, or a negative
  attitude based on a stereotype
• Discrimination against an age group
  inappropriate negative treatment of members of
  that age group

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Common Stereotypes

• Many live in nursing homes
• Most are unable to adapt to change
• Many are bored, lonely, live alone, live in
  poverty, and are often angry or irritated
• They have more injuries than younger persons
• They have higher rates of criminal victimization

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9 Major Ageist Stereotypes

• ILLNESS most are sick or disabled
• IMPOTENCY most no longer have any sexual
  activity or desire
• UGLINESS old people are ugly
• MENTAL DECLINE mental abilities tend to decline
  from middle age onward, especially the ability to
  learn/remember
• MENTAL ILLNESS many or most are senile mental
  illness is common, inevitable and untreatable

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9 Major Ageist Stereotypes

• USELESSNESS due to disability, most older adults
  are unable to continue to work, and those few
  that do continue to work are unproductive
• ISOLATION the majority of old people are
  socially isolated, lonely, and live alone
• POVERTY views about the economic status of older
  adults range from those who think most are poor
  to those who think most are rich
• DEPRESSION because the typical older person is
  sick, impotent, senile, useless, lonely and in
  poverty, they must be miserable

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Negative Ageism Words

• Ineffectual
• Incapable
• Neglected
• Lonely/isolated
• Old
• Poor
• Senile
• Weak

• Death/Dying
• Dependent
• Elderly
• Frail
• Geezer
• Greedy/selfish
• Homogenous
• Helpless/victims

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Neutral Ageism Words

• Aged
• Aging
• Older
• Retired
• Senior

• Young Old
• Old Old
• Oldest Old
• New Old

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Positive Ageism Words

• Alert
• Autonomous
• Diverse
• Dependable
• Independent

• Involved
• Productive/useful
• Life satisfaction
• Mentally active
• Physically active

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Can Names Portray an Image?

• Younger adults consider themselves not Senior
  enough to attend programs at Senior centers

Institutional names Congregate Meal
Program Elderly Nutrition Program Senior Lunch
Program Senior Friendship Center
Other terms usedCaféFriendship MealsCentro
De Oro
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Health Professionals Ageism ?

• Why should we use positive language?
• We set the stage for new professionals
• We influence policy legislation
• directly influences nations attitude
  perception
• Before Elderly Nutrition Program
• Now Older Americans Nutrition Program
• We affect older adults own perception of
  themselves as less valuable

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Content Analysis Thesis

• Research Questions
• To what extent are primary, secondary, and
  tertiary disease prevention covered in community
  nutrition, nutrition therapy, and nutrition
  aging textbooks?
• To what extent are gerontological aspects of
  aging covered in community nutrition, nutrition
  therapy, and nutrition aging textbooks?
• Are the key findings of National Nutrition
  Monitoring and other significant studies of older
  adults in these textbooks?
• What evidence is there, if any, of ageism
  (positive, neutral, or negative) in community
  nutrition, nutrition therapy, and nutrition
  aging textbooks?

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Billie Burke

• Age doesnt matter unless youre a cheese.

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Leroy Satchel Paige

• How old would you be if you didnt know how old
  you are?