At St John’s Foundation, one of our core missions is to support adults over 55 in leading happy, healthy, and independent lives while still accessing opportunities as they age. According to the 2023 State of Ageing Report by Ageing Better, 21 million people in England are aged over 50, comprising two-fifths of the population. As we begin to see more people living longer, we have also seen how ageism is increasingly preventing older adults from receiving the support they need while limiting their opportunities and independence.
Ageism is defined by WHO as ‘stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel), and discrimination (how we act) directed towards people on the basis of their age’. A language-based study across 20 English-speaking countries, published in 2020, found that the UK is the most ageist of the surveyed countries, with 55% of respondents agreeing that the UK is ageist. We believe that if people had the right knowledge, then ageism could be tackled and changed.
This form of discrimination can manifest in numerous ways. Institutional ageism is characterised by policies, practices and social norms that are common and rarely questioned. Ageing is also associated with disease and disability, leading to potentially more discrimination within healthcare as older adults’ needs are not fully met.
Ageism can also show up in individual interactions, known as interpersonal discrimination, which can be exacerbated by people only spending time with people of theirr age group in ‘silos of engagement’. Interpersonal discrimination can occur, for example, when a younger candidate is hired for a role when the older candidate might be better qualified but has fewer years left in the job market or might be considered to be the wrong ‘cultural fit’ for the organisation because of their age. Many people over the age of 50 are struggling to find or return to work following the pandemic, which is impacting their economic wellbeing by limiting their income and opportunities to build their pension.
Finally, self-directed ageism influences how individuals view themselves as they age. These attitudes are prolific in the beauty industry, where ‘anti-aging’ products are advertised as preventing the appearance of aging. Self-directed ageism can also discourage individuals from taking part in particular activities or trying something new because they believe they are ‘too old’ to take part or succeed among younger people.
Ageism can have numerous negative impacts on older adults, but one of the most significant problems that we witness is the increase in isolation. Being separated from a community can cause great harm to older adults, who may need more assistance in their day to day lives but struggle to access transport or support services. The way we communicate has also changed, with technology playing a large role in our everyday lives, but the rapid advances in tech have left many behind, and some older adults now struggle to stay in touch with their families and close friends. We work with Connecting Generations, a group of Bath Spa University students who visit St John’s weekly to support not just our residents, but all older adults who need help with their technology devices. This support is invaluable as it helps older adults connect with their loved ones online, alleviating feelings of isolation.
The loss of freedom, independence and community can cause significant harm to the health of older adults, with those that feel isolated, living, on average, seven years less than those who are not, according to a BBC podcast. Isolation also means it is harder for older adults to reach out for help, which becomes more necessary as people age, when they become less physically fit and more prone to illness.
At St John’s, we are working towards making the ageing process a positive experience by ensuring older adults can maintain their independence and take advantage of the many opportunities being older has to offer. To tackle some of the problems that arise from ageism, we established our Good Living Service in 2021, which provides help and guidance to older adults in our community.
In an effort to create an age friendly community in BaNES, we have teamed up with Age UK Bath, supported by 3SG, to launch Aging Well Banes which aims as part of the project to encourage older people to speak about the issues that are important to them and their communities. Through our work, we hope to make BaNES more age-friendly by challenging the stereotypes that exist about older adults so that they can live more comfortable, independent, and opportunity-filled lives.
On Tuesday 18 June at 1-4pm, we are hosting an Age Friendly event at St John’s Courtyard to launch our new Ageing Well Survey. We welcome over 55s in the region to join us in celebrating life as we grow older and participate in our crucial work to achieve Age Friendly status for Bath and North East Somerset.
