Health & Wellness
"Words are sacred. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little." — Tom Stoppard, playwright and screenwriter
The way we talk about things has great power. Think about words commonly used to describe getting older: slowing down, declining, dependent, out of touch. Now consider a different set: experienced, inventive, influential, connected.
Both sets of adjectives describe aging, but only one embraces the positivity of more years. Words shape what we expect from ourselves and others. Research has shown that the way individuals think about time is rooted in how their native language explains it, either through distance (long) or quantity (much). And, that there are at least four different ways that language can influence the day-to-day. So, it's worth looking at the assumptions surrounding aging and edit out the ones that limit what aging is.
More than a stereotype
Sometimes ageism is obvious, such as workplace discrimination. Other times, it can sound almost helpful: assuming an older person can't learn new technology, automatically taking over a task, speaking to a family member instead of directly to the older adult, or deciding an activity will be "too much" without asking.
Ageism includes stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination based on age. It can appear in institutions, relationships, and even in the way we think about ourselves. And it is remarkably common: globally, 50% hold an ageist attitude toward older adults. In fact, children as young as 4 years old see and understand how their culture views aging. They then base their feelings and actions toward others on these stereotypes and behaviors. Eventually, this attitude can turn into self-directed ageism.
Ageism is bad for health and well-being. It is associated with poorer physical and mental health, social isolation, loneliness, and lower quality of life. Those experiencing ageism also die more than seven years earlier. The World Health Organization estimates that 6.3 million cases of depression worldwide are attributable to ageism.
And ageism is also bad for our communities. When we assume that contribution diminishes with age, we risk overlooking decades of knowledge, relationships, creativity, and experience. We also threaten the solidarity between generations.
Older adults stepping up
Don't count seniors out. Across the United States, Canada, and Australia, older adults continue to shape workplaces, businesses, communities, and social movements.
At work and in business: In the U.S., the older workforce has nearly quadrupled in size since the mid-1980s; there are now more than 11 million who are 65 or older. Similarly, Canada currently has the highest level of older workers since they started keeping records in 1976. And, since the 1990s, the older worker force in Australia has doubled for those 60–64 and tripled for those 65 and up. Workers who are 50+ are more likely to be self-employed and most likely to have paid employees. Older adults aren't simply staying employed; they're creating businesses, jobs, and new ways to work.
Through mentorship: Mentorship can not only improve the bottom line by 18% but overwhelmingly translate into employees who are happy at work (90%). Research has found that mentorship is particularly valuable for practical job skills, navigating difficult conversations, and career development. Importantly, modern mentorship isn't simply older people teaching younger people; intergenerational mentorship creates workplaces where different generations contribute different strengths. For the community, older adults mentoring youth is associated with teenagers thriving later in life as well as higher life-satisfaction.
In advocacy and community leadership: Older adults are also helping shape policies and communities. For example, the National Seniors Council in Canada includes seniors who bring decades of professional and community experience to advise the government on issues affecting older adults. In Australia, older people lead the way in environmental responsibility with more than 40% surveyed saying they try to reduce their impact on the environment (compared with less than 30% of younger respondents). Australian seniors also donate in greater numbers to charity. In the United States, older Americans are about three times more likely than younger adults to take part in civic and community life and 75% of seniors vote regularly.
None of this means people have to launch businesses, mentor the next generation, or lead movements to "prove" their value as they age. Contribution can be public or private, large or small. It might mean caring for grandchildren, knowing every neighbor on the block, volunteering, making art, tending a garden, sharing a skill, or simply being someone others can count on.
Change the narrative at home
Families and caregivers have a significant role in challenging ageism because some of the most meaningful changes happen in everyday interactions.
- Start by noticing assumptions.
- Instead of deciding what someone can or cannot do based on age, ask.
- Speak directly to older adults about their care and preferences.
- Offer help rather than automatically taking over.
- Avoid language that infantilizes or treats aging as something embarrassing.
- Make room for older and younger people to learn from one another.
And perhaps most importantly, remember that supporting someone doesn't require seeing them as less capable.
Good care adapts as needs change while continuing to recognize the whole person: their preferences, knowledge, relationships, abilities, history, and potential.
Aging changes us. It doesn't erase us. Maybe it's time the stories we tell – and the words we use – about growing older reflected that.