How Ageism Affects Older Adults

“OK, boomer” memes. Anti-aging skincare obsessions. Over-the-hill birthday cards. It doesn’t take much effort to notice how many messages our society sends us that tell us getting older is an unpleasant and unwelcome process. These societal messages, along with disappointing institutional and internalized ageism, have a harmful effect on the mental and physical well-being of older adults. We are all aging. It’s worth examining the ways ageism hurts older adults.

How Ageism Affects Older Adults
Institutional, interpersonal, and internalized ageism harm the well-being of older adults.
Stress. Anticipating ageist interactions raises the level of the stress hormone cortisol.
Discrimination. Age discrimination robs older people of the opportunity to feel valued and share their wisdom.
Misinformation. Ageist stereotypes are often false and perpetuate misinformation.
Pessimism. Negative self-perception of aging is associated with higher prevalence of disease.
Depression. Repeated exposure to ageism is associated with increased anxiety and depression.
Poor health. Ageist stereotypes may influence treatment decisions in medical settings.
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