Have you encountered casual ageism?
Ageism is stereotyping and discriminating against individuals or groups on the basis of their age.
Britain has one of the worst records in Europe on age discrimination, with nearly two out of five people claiming to have been shown a lack of respect because of how old they are.
It can impact on someone’s confidence, job prospects, financial situation and quality of life. It can be present in the way that older people are represented in the media, which can have a wider impact on attitudes towards age.
Have you been in a situation where you have been discriminated against due to your age? You may be fully aware that you have been subject to ageism, but sometimes it’s not so obvious.
- Losing a job because of your age.
- Being refused interest-free credit, a new credit card, car insurance or travel insurance because of your age.
- Receiving a lower quality of service in a shop or restaurant
- Being refused a referral from a doctor to a consultant because you are ‘too old’.
- Being refused membership to a club or trade association because of your age.
What are your views? Have you been a victim of ageism? Do you feel like you are becoming invisible? Do we live in a society obsessed with youth? Have you embraced the second half of your life with open arms? Are you only as young as you feel?
