Ageism

Ageism is one of the most pervasive prejudices across human society. Although ageism is less acknowledged than racism or sexism, it is a harmful prejudice that results in widespread mistreatment, ranging from stereotypic and degrading media images to physical and financial abuse, unequal treatment in the workforce, and denial of appropriate medical care and services.

A Matter of Human and Civil Rights

The Ageism In America project aims to transform the experience and culture of aging in this country, and ultimately improve the human rights of older Americans. The project is funded by a generous grant from the Open Society Institute.

Through comprehensive research, the project identifies and analyzes various forms of ageism and stereotyping, pushing the issue into public discourse and encouraging public and private institutions to remedy ageist attitudes, policies and practices.

Dr. Robert N. Butler, our President & CEO, is credited with coining the term “ageism” in 1968. He notes that:

• employers confront high costs that increase as workers grow older, discouraging employers from hiring and retaining older workers
• in the absence of adequate lifelong continuing education, it is difficult for older workers to acquire the skills employers seek
• in the absence of an effective national disease prevention program, frailty and dementia among older people reinforce stereotypes

A Multidisciplinary Task Force

A multidisciplinary task force led by Dr. Butler recently completed a comprehensive analysis of the impact of age prejudice. The report, "Ageism in America", calls greater attention to the realities of ageism and encourages cultural, social, and institutional transformation with respect to age.

An advisory board including the following experts helped shape the framework and content of the publication:

• Carl Bernstein, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
• Lawrence K. Grossman, Former President, NBC News• Becca R. Levy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology,Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health
• Laurie A. McCann, Senior Attorney, AARP Foundation Litigation
• Sara Rix, Senior Policy Advisor, AARP Public Policy Institute
• William D. Zabel, Esq., Partner, Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP

• John F. Zweig, Chairman, Specialist Communications, WPP Group USA, Inc.

A Call for Further Research and an Agenda for Action

"Ageism in America" concludes with ideas for concrete action items. Some of the future deliverables include the study of:

• job skills and job opportunities for older workers
• age discrimination in hiring, which is believed to be the most common form of discrimination faced by older workers in the workplace and the most difficult to prove.
• links between inadequate policies governing safety in the living environment and injuries due to falls
• the costs of age discrimination

Additional Reading & Resources Buy "Ageism In America" See all publications on ageism View more ageism topics Read the Press Release Download the Status Reports