How To Combat Ageism In The Workplace

Part 1 

Aging is a natural process that is inevitable for all living organisms, as it is a process that occurs with time. In human beings, aging is a process that involves physical, psychological, and social changes. Although every human age differently, others defy the stereotypes of aging by engaging in activities that are not considered suitable for their age. The stereotypes associated with aging are often created by the media, the internet, and the young people who are surprised by individuals who age well. The stereotypes are based on the misconceptions regarding how people should age, based on the physical and congnitive abilities. An example of an individual who defies the stereotype of aging is Charles Marin Eugster. Eugster, who was a dentist by profession, defied the stereotype of aging by engaging in fitness programs at the age of 85 years. Eugster surprised many people as he defied the stereotype that considered the older people to be unfit and weak. As a measure of combating ageism, Eugster began the fitness program and won different awards. Through the engagement in the fitness program, Eugster was able to avoid the typical journey of aging that is characterized by helplessness as many of the aged people tend to be weak thus unable to engage in different kinds of fitness activities.

Part 2 

In the advertisement, the issue of ageism is prevalent, considering that the media capitalizes on the use of young people to depict society's vibrant nature. In most cases, older people are not considered an important part of the media, considering the different kinds of stereotypes that are created regarding aged people. Firstly, older people are portrayed as less attractive, weak, and less vibrant, which is an aspect that reduces their engagement in advertisements. An example of an advertisement that is ageist is the Paddy Power television ad that likened the older people to zombies. The TV ad was considered ageist, given how the elderly persons were treated. The advertisement, which was considered disrespectful, played a significant role in drawing misconceptions and stereotypes against the older people in society based on how they look. The advertisement played an integral role in passing the message that older people are less attractive as they are portrayed as zombies. The misconception was created based on how the advertisement portrayed the older people thus creating a perception that the media is only meant for young and vibrant people in the society. Additionally, the advertisement passes the message of less active and helplessness of older people.

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Part 3 

In my interactions with older people in society, I have learned a wide range of aspects relating to age. Firstly, I have learned that older people have different kinds of experiences relating to the issue of ageism. Ageism is an issue that faces individuals as they get older and often tend to experience different kinds of misconceptions and stereotypes. Secondly, I have learned that all older people tend to experience an issue relating to ageism at some point in their lives. When engaging in different interactions with the elderly, it is important to note the biases that may relate to the interactions. In my interactions, I did not experience any biases. However, it is important to note that there are different kinds of misconceptions depicted in society regarding aged people based on their individual abilities and their role in society. Undertaking the Harvard Project Implicit Test for Aging helps determine the biases that we may have towards the older people in society. It is important to note that our perceptions towards older people play an important role in overcoming the issue of ageism thus enhancing positive interactions and promoting effectiveness in individual relations.