Let’s Rethink How We Talk About Aging

Today, ACL and our partners in the aging services network join communities across the country in observing Ageism Awareness Day. We honor and celebrate many important observances here at ACL, but this one is especially important to me as assistant secretary for aging. Raising awareness of ageism and stopping its spread is vital to our advocacy efforts, the success of the programs and services we fund, and the health and well-being of all of us.

Recognizing Ageism

Ageism is discrimination and social prejudice against older people due to negative and inaccurate stereotypes about aging. It is reflected in discriminatory laws, policies, and social norms. Ageism can take many forms and can impact interpersonal relationships and affect how people see themselves. We may internalize negative age-related beliefs, which limit our opportunities for growth, connection, and happiness.

Ageism is remarkably common. There are 77 million people over 60 in the U.S.; more than 90% of them regularly experience some form of ageism. Ageism is so embedded in how we talk about growing older that sometimes it's easy to miss. Just in the past week, I heard or read each of the following ageist statements:

"I'm having a senior moment."

"You look great for your age."

"He is young at heart."

"Bracing for the silver tsunami" (an actual headline!)

Impacts of Ageism

At its root, ageism implies that our contributions have less value, and our perspectives are less important, as we age, and that can profoundly impact health and well-being.

Nearly 3 in 5 older workers say they have seen or experienced age discrimination. Workplace ageism is associated with depression, anxiety, lower self-esteem, and long-term illnesses like hypertension. Negative beliefs among older people about aging have also been found to increase rates of heart problems. A 2020 study found that 17 million cases of the eight most expensive health conditions among those 60 and older could be attributed to ageism, resulting in $63 billion in excess health care costs.

We have seen ageism manifest in truly dangerous ways across care provision, policy responses, and media and political debates. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some states and health care systems implemented crisis standards of care that used age as a basis for denying access to lifesaving treatment like ventilators. That's why laws that prohibit age-based discrimination in health programs, like Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (and the new regulations that implement it), are so important.

I am proud that a central focus of the Strategic Framework for a National Plan on Aging is recognizing the value of older adults. The Strategic Framework lays the groundwork for a coordinated effort - across the private and public sectors and in partnership with older adults, family caregivers, the aging services network, and other stakeholders - to create a national set of recommendations for advancing healthy aging and promoting age-friendly communities that value and celebrate the contributions of people of all ages. Ending ageism and elevating an age-positive culture is the cornerstone of that work.

We All Have a Role to Play

For those of us who have dedicated our professional lives - and, in many cases, our personal lives - to supporting older adults, it is easy to think that we are immune to this issue. But ageism is pervasive in our society. It is so entrenched in how we talk about everyday matters and official business that it is hard to break out of.

This Ageism Awareness Day, I want to challenge all of us in the aging network to leverage our community leadership positions to change how we talk about aging. For the next year, put combatting ageism at the forefront. Commit to one new action you will take each month to change the narrative on aging.

And I'm challenging all of us to change how we talk about aging. The National Center to Reframe Aging created a tip sheet with language to avoid and suggestions for what to say instead to ensure we are using age-inclusive, bias-free language. For example, instead of using words and phrasing like "tidal wave," "tsunami," and similarly catastrophic terms to describe the growing population of older people, we can use positive language like, "While Americans live longer and healthier lives..." And instead of words like "struggle," "battle," and similar conflict-oriented words to describe normal aging experiences, we can say things like, "Aging is a dynamic process that leads to new aspirations, abilities, and knowledge we can share with our communities" to promote a realistic description of aging. (For more ideas, visit the resources section of the Reframing Aging website to access other materials, including a toolkit and short videos on ending ageism.)

Please join me in integrating these tips into conversations about the services you deliver, the programs you manage, and the policies you develop. Use the tips in your interactions with friends and family. Notice how they change your perspective and thinking over time.

Shifting how we talk about aging is an important step and can help to create the momentum we need to end ageism. Together, we can build a society that values older adults, embraces aging, and recognizes that all people - regardless of age or disability - have the right to live with dignity, make their own choices, and participate fully in their communities.

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