from University of Michigan
Seems that we live in a time of “isms”. One of the more recently named is “ageism.” The University of Michigan conducted a poll of two thousand adults over fifty. More than eighty percent said they experienced one or more forms of ageism in their daily lives. Examples range from offhand remarks about using a smartphone to joking about memory or hearing loss to ads focusing on wrinkles or gray hair. These and more are common in the lives of older people and those subjected to ageism are much more likely to internalize the messages. There is a bright side to the study—that despite the hurtful messages of ageism, most older people have positive attitudes about aging and two-thirds said life over fifty is better than they thought it would be.