Senior to Senior: Stereotypes and Aging

Stereotypes about aging are alive and well. They are hard to ignore. Studies reveal how dangerous they can be if they affect the way you think about yourself. It starts early on. You are led to believe that aging is something to dread. “They” suggest that you should do everything, cosmetically and physically, to delay the inevitable. Exercise, implants, acrylic nails, and hair dye can give you a boost physically, but the damage done to the senior psyche is startling. One of the most potent sources of ageism comes from older people themselves, and like other forms of ageism, the self-inflicted kind is much worse. If you accept ageism, you may be doing yourself a disservice. You may laugh and repeat cliches about being “over the hill,” and having “senior moments,” but truth be told, they are not funny. The trouble is that internalizing ageist stereotypes can affect your health and wellbeing. You may miss the implications when someone says, “you haven’t changed a bit” or “you don’t look your age” because you want to hear them, and you want to believe. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing. People who think well about themselves are physically and emotionally healthier than those who do not. When you allow yourself to think that decline is inevitable, it gives you an excuse for having a “do nothing” attitude. Being fit and being healthy is hard work at every age. Seniors who remain involved and dedicated to being relevant. are everywhere. Stop and talk to the ones who are walking around your neighborhood or are at the gym learning how to take care of themselves. Societal norms love to portray older people as forgetful, cranky, and frail. If this isn’t you, you owe it to yourself to be a role model. You cannot reverse negative stereotypes about aging if you believe them yourself. Understand that many older people are in good health (mentally and physically) and are satisfied with their lives. It’s time to replace negative stereotypes with positive ones. Think wise and accomplished rather than senile and dependent.