When did you discover ageism and become passionate about it?  I have been studying Aging for over 25 years, but it was only about 10 years ago that I recognized just how invisible and pervasive Ageism is. While giving a talk, I related that I became a gerontologist because I wanted to work with the “aging population.”  In that moment, I had a revelation. Why was I talking about the aging population as if it only included older people? I’m aging, you’re aging, we are all aging! I really meant to say that I enjoyed working with older adults. Recognizing that distinction lit a fire in me to understand ageism more deeply, and the more I learned, the more passionate I became. I realized for the first time that our dominant cultural narrative manipulates us into equating aging as being old and being old as scary and undesirable. 

What is the most traumatic effect ageism has on society? Ageism robs us of many things, including our own health and longevity. It also robs us of meaning and purpose in later life. A study out of Yale found that people with negative attitudes about their own aging (internalized ageism) live 7.5 … Continue reading..