Ageism Underestimates Seniors
Brandon
Sun “Small World” Column, Monday, September 16 / 24
Zack Gross
Zack Gross
This is a column I’ve been planning to write for some time. An ageist joke would be that I keep forgetting to do it because of my very senior age. The fact is that numerous barriers stand in the way of “older” people finding their place in our world due to discriminatory attitudes not unlike racism or sexism. Here are some examples from my experience.
I was returning to my office in Winnipeg a few years ago and, as I entered, was informed that “an old couple” was waiting to see me. As it turned out, that “old couple” was a world famous husband and wife with strong ties to southwestern Manitoba who had made immeasurable contributions to global charitable work over many decades. Yes, calculating in years, they had been around for a while, but their energy and commitment would run circles around most young people.
I also observed a major cultural gap in my later work years between young and older colleagues, with our younger generation being focused on social media and communications technology and displaying a largely more individualistic attitude toward life, while we oldsters might, for the most part, be more personally sociable and community minded. An image that I recall is my walking into one of our staff rooms and speaking to the people working there, and then realizing that no one noticed me or responded as they all had headphones on and, I assume, were listening to something while keyboarding.
Ageism is also being displayed during our current US Presidential race. Mr. Biden was admittedly in poor form during his debate, caused largely by being ill and likely having some cold medication coursing through his body. But he has been an effective leader in most areas, his age notwithstanding. A young person involved in politics in Manitoba was interviewed about Mr. Trump’s performance in the most recent debate with Kamala Harris, and emphasized that he was “an old guy.” I’m not a Trump fan, but his age is a minor flaw compared to all the others he displays. As well, there are those who cast blame on our older generation for the state our world finds itself in – war, climate change, economic woes – issues that have plagued humanity forever, it seems. Blaming and shaming the baby-boomers seems to be a trend.
Research indicates that often, from as early as the age of 40, people are considered to be “old” and by 60 are often thought, by their younger colleagues, to be unable to deliver on a variety of tasks. In that middle age range, it is harder for people to find jobs as employers think that they have unchangeable attitudes, and are less able to deliver on physical work. While it goes against many human rights regulations, which forbid asking job candidates their age, it’s not easy to hide what side of life’s hill you are on.
In our wealthy part of the world, more and more people are living into their 80s, 90s and even achieving 100+. While people have the right to retire at any age they choose, we must find ways to ensure that they have opportunities to work for pay or as volunteers as long as they can. For some, it is not financially viable to be tossed on the scrapheap too early, and for others, they desire to contribute to their community and world, and be lifelong learners and doers.
In the poorer parts of our planet, seniors are afforded great respect, in part because they have survived beyond the average 50 or 60 years life expectancy. In my international aid work, I found myself treated too well, as a senior, being offered the best chair, the first in line at meals, and the most heartfelt greetings upon arrival. The irony is that, in an impoverished area, people don’t have the financial means to properly take care of the seniors they so respect. Medical care is hard to find and can be costly, hard physical work needs to be done by everyone, and few if any old age benefits exist.
As seniors, we have an important role to play as mentors to upcoming generations – our children and grandchildren, our younger colleagues and neighbours. We have experience and expertise, have worked through many ups and downs, know about real challenges but still carry hope. Seniors have great talent and knowledge – it might be about the natural world, or about technology, about farming or business, teaching or health care, the arts, history or science. Ageism shouldn’t prevent our world from benefiting from this.
Zack Gross is Board Chair of The Marquis Project, a Brandon-based international development organization, and co-author of the new book The Fair Trade Handbook: Building a Better World, Together.
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