AGE WITHOUT LIMITS
Center for Better Ageing. London, England, U.K.
Program Description
“Becoming unemployable in your 50’s is not a part of aging. Its Ageism.”
“Age Without Limits Day is a day for us all to come together and take action to end ageism, as individuals, with friends and family, in our communities and in our workplaces. Together, we can make life better for those of us affected by ageism today and for all of us who may be affected in the future.”
-agewithoutlimits.org
Ageism may appear in language, assumptions and representation.
The Center for Better Ageing's anti-ageism campaign, Age Without Limits aims to make ageism everyone’s business, change the way aging is viewed, and support people and organizations working to make society more age-inclusive.
The campaign encourages people to take a three step approach to ageism which includes, notice it, challenge it, change it.
Noticing ageism includes becoming aware of ageist attitudes in:
• Everyday conversations.
• Depictions in media.
• Photos.
• Film and Television.
• Workplaces.
Challenging ageism can mean:
• Changing language by avoiding stereotypical phrases.
• Educating others on the effects of ageism on older people such as avoiding social activities, situations, work based discrimination or interactions at work and not accessing health care when needed.
• Representing older adults in realistic and respectful ways across media platforms, and in different sectors and industries.
Changing Ageism can mean:
• Encouraging local businesses to be more age friendly through store fronts with wider aisle access, good lighting, available seating through the ‘Take A Seat Campaign’ and products and services geared towards older adults.
• Encouraging workplaces to hire and retain older workers, asking them to take the Age-friendly Employer Pledge to recognize the importance and value of older workers, and committing to promote a multigenerational workforce.
The Annual Age Without Limits Day is an opportunity for anyone to make a difference and help fight ageism.
A how to guide is available on the website through the Age Without Limits Day Activity Pack for participants and volunteers. Ideas on how to combat ageism include:
• Hosting a Storytelling Event - an intergenerational event for older and younger people in the community to share life stories, meaningful connections and experiences. The wide range of ages allows for everyone to express and learn from experiences no matter what stage of life they are in.
• Fashion Show - embrace and support wearing whatever at whatever age. Local clothing stores or businesses may want to partner to donate to the event, and media may be invited to photograph and film.
• Community Gathering - organize a tea to generate conversation around attitudes towards aging, take prepare fact sheets or a quiz, walk and talk about aging experiences.
• Celebrate a Group In ‘Collective or Combined’ Years and create an inspirational Celebration Pledge Wall of how people will celebrate their age.
• Host a Film Viewing - older people are under-represented on screen, particularly older women and older people from minority ethnic backgrounds. Organize a film viewing for the community featuring older actors or films that tell non stereotypical, realistic stories about aging followed by a Q and A.
• Photo Exhibition or Competition - showcase photos at a library, café or other community venue of older people with quotes about their experiences of aging.
The campaign website has several posters and social media images to help get the word out on how to fight ageism including a list of experiences which are not a part of aging but in fact of ageism including:
• Becoming unemployable in your 50’s isn’t a part of aging. Its Ageism.
• Being told to act your age isn’t a part of aging. Its Ageism.
• Being told you shouldn’t wear that at your age isn’t a part of aging. Its Ageism.
• Being told you should slow down isn’t a part of aging. Its Ageism.
The Center for Better Aging’s free age-positive image library shows realistic images of older adults. The image library hopes to change negative and stereotypical views of old age by depicting a more realistic view of aging.
source: agewithoutlimits.org
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WATCH VIDEO ON AGE WITHOUT LIMITS ANTI-AGEISM CAMPAIGN |
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