We’ve been hearing more and more about different forms of discrimination in today’s headlines — from pay equity to racial, disability, and LGBTQ+ issues. Yet one group that too often receives little public attention is seniors. Ageism, or discrimination based on age, remains widespread in the United States. Although it doesn’t always make front-page news, ageism affects millions of older adults and deserves more consistent focus if we want to create meaningful social change.
Truly hurtful stereotypes
The old “sticks and stones” rhyme offers little comfort when it comes to emotional harm caused by derogatory portrayals, jokes, or assumptions about older people. Research has documented how common and damaging ageist behaviors can be.
A study conducted by researchers at The Duke Center for the Study of Aging examined everyday ageist behaviors experienced by older Americans. In a survey of people age 60 and older, respondents answered questions about interactions they faced in daily life. The results were sobering:
- About 80 percent reported experiencing ageism, often in the form of assumptions that they must have mental or physical limitations because of their age.
- Approximately 58 percent said they had been the target of jokes mocking older people — the study identified this as the most frequent type of ageist behavior encountered.
- Roughly 31 percent said they had been ignored or not taken seriously because of their age.
Beyond hurtful remarks or jokes, ageism can have serious long-term consequences. A separate study by researchers in Yale University’s department of epidemiology and public health followed 660 people aged 50 and older and found that individuals who held more positive views about aging lived significantly longer — an average of 7.5 years longer — than those with negative views of growing older. The research also linked positive age-related stereotypes to better memory and balance, while negative self-perceptions correlated with poorer memory and feelings of worthlessness. While many factors contribute to how someone perceives aging, repeated exposure to ageist attitudes and stereotypes clearly plays an important role.
Changing mindsets
Ageism is deeply embedded in cultural norms and institutions, and it often goes unchallenged. Media portrayals that reduce seniors to cranky, dependent, or forgetful caricatures; novelty “over-the-hill” cards and anti-aging product marketing that ridicule visible signs of age; and policies that fail to protect the dignity and rights of older adults all reinforce harmful assumptions. These patterns make it harder for seniors to be respected, included, and supported.
Maintaining a sense of humor about aging and acknowledging the physical and health changes that often accompany later life are reasonable. But humor shouldn’t be a license for stereotyping, dismissiveness, or exclusion. Seniors represent the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S. — recent census data show tens of millions of people age 65 and older, comprising a significant and growing share of the population — and that demographic trend makes addressing ageism both a moral and practical imperative.
Combating ageism benefits everyone. When society allows prejudice to persist, we lose out on the full talents and contributions of older adults. Older people are a diverse group with a wide range of skills, knowledge, and lived experience. Ensuring adequate social supports, accessible physical environments, and inclusive policies helps seniors stay engaged and purposeful in later life. Intergenerational programs, for example, are an effective way to include older adults as integral contributors, strengthening communities and bridging generational divides.
When older adults are viewed and treated with respect, research shows their physical and mental health improve. A societal shift toward valuing seniors’ perspectives and abilities would encourage greater understanding and accommodation of their needs, and would elevate the many ways older people contribute to family life, workplaces, and civic communities. The result would be a society where older adults are not dismissed or ignored, but recognized and respected for the unique insights they bring.