Community projects in the East Midlands have hosted a series of events to mark a national anti-ageism Action Day organised by the Centre for Ageing Better.
Local community groups brought people together on 20th March as part of the Age Without Limits campaign’s See and be Seen Action Day which aimed to counter the negative stereotypes of older age that are seen as being prominent throughout society.
New research from the Centre for Ageing Better reveals 36% of people aged 50 and above in the East Midlands believe that the voices of older people are not sufficiently represented and heard regarding changes and developments where they live. The Age Without Limits campaign is hoping to put a spotlight on ageism such as this, which it calls the ‘hidden’ prejudice.
The new survey also reveals the broader views of people aged 50 and above in the East Midlands:
- 39% said there are not enough activities and groups in their area that allow you to feel connected to your local community and meet with other people. The community events are designed to support people to feel connected with others.
- 27% said they felt less valued in their community as they aged
- 12% feel like they are treated negatively within their community because of their age
- 10% said their local community wasn’t a good place to grow older in
People living in the East Midlands had a higher satisfaction growing older in their community than residents in Greater London but a lower level of satisfaction than Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Age Without Limits campaign is highlighting the need for a more diverse and balanced representation of older people, with the majority of media and advertising depictions of older age either unrealistically positive or extremely negative portrayals of frailty and decline. It is hoped the series of Action Day events across the country will empower people to feel involved, connected and heard in their local communities as well as united in the fight against ageism.
According to the charity’s Chief Executive Dr Carole Easton OBE, negative societal portrayals of ageing contribute to how people feel about getting older, and older people with more negative self-perceptions of their own ageing are more likely to have depression and to have worse quality of life than those with more positive outlooks.
The three-year Age Without Limits campaign was launched in January by the Centre for Ageing Better to spark debate and conversation about what ageism is and to challenge the way we all think about ageing.
The campaign website provides information, tools and resources, including an interactive online quiz which has been designed to encourage people to reflect if they might inadvertently hold negative views to age and ageing.
More than 70 events took place across the country on the Age Without Limits Action Day.
Dr Carole Easton OBE, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “It is clear from our research that people over 50 in the East Midlands have real concerns about having their voices heard in their local communities.
“We hope our first Action Day will help people in the East Midlands feel that there are many people who do care about how older people are represented in society and who want to see an end to ageism. I’m so grateful to all the community groups taking the time and effort to mark our first Action Day with such a wonderful range of events.
“Ageism is extremely prevalent in society and it is extremely harmful to individuals, communities and the economy. That is why we launched the Age Without Limits campaign to get the nation thinking differently about ageing, for the benefit of us all as we grow older."