A quiet, and often subtle, form of discrimination called ageism is shaping the daily lives of many older Nova Scotians.
Bill VanGorder calls it the last acceptable prejudice.
“We make assumptions on age that create stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination,” he says.
“It’s the only -ism that still seems to be acceptable.”
VanGorder is the advocacy and education director for the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP). He says ageism manifests in subtle, daily encounters that leave seniors feeling dismissed, ignored, and stripped of their dignity.
This “subtle discrimination” often hides behind a veil of helpfulness, he says.
For Judy Bonnell, a blind senior in Halifax, it often takes the form of a patronizing tone.
She says when people refer to an older person as “dear,” it makes them feel even older — as if “you can’t think anymore and you don’t have anything worth saying.”
Brooks Field, an 81-year-old who spent decades working in film and television, says people often speak down to her.
“They simplify when they talk to you. ‘Yes, dear,’” she says.
“I’ve been around the world for a long time, you know, and I don’t need anybody to talk to me like that. I find it quite insulting.”
In the workplace, ageism can have a direct effect on the ability of older people to provide for themselves.
VanGorder says the cost of living means that many seniors have to keep working beyond the so-called retirement age.
He says capability, not age, should be the determining factor in whether someone can perform a job.
VanGorder says seniors also battle against the belief that they are holding back younger workers from entering the workforce.
“That’s such a fallacy,” he says. “There’s employment problems in … the younger age group and there’s employment problems in the older age group.
“It’s not cause and effect.”
He says being pushed out of the workplace or made to feel like a burden can have a profound toll on the mental health of seniors.
In health care, seniors report having their medical concerns dismissed with a generic explanation.
“One of the things that really irritates me is if I’m having a problem and somebody says to me, ‘It’s because of your age,’” says Bonnell.
“Explain to me because of my age what is happening. Tell me what the cause is — not just because I’m old.”
Technological ageism is a growing concern for many seniors who find themselves excluded from access to services.
As governments and businesses push services online, many seniors are left behind.
VanGorder says a large percentage of older Canadians aren’t comfortable or proficient with the new technology.
Bonnell feels this acutely.
“I don’t like using the internet. I don’t do my banking online because I’m nervous about it,” she says.
“Give me a phone number where somebody actually will answer the phone.”
Faced with this challenge, seniors find strength in community and advocacy.
Allison Davies, executive director of Spencer House, a seniors’ centre in Halifax, explains their approach is to actively counter ageism.
“We lift up the voices of seniors and we take the time to listen and to care,” she says.
“We value folks who are older and they’ve built our communities. They have the wisdom and the experience of life.”
On a broader scale, organizations like CARP work to challenge systemic discrimination.
VanGorder says when his organization sees examples of discrimination in media depictions, business or government, they bring it to their attention.
For Bonnell, overcoming ageism requires a shift in how society views its older members.
“Take what we have learned throughout our lifetime,” she says.
“We have a lot of experience in a lot of areas and use it to make life better for everybody, not just old people.”
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