Ageism Series Prologue
There is just one week to go before I post the first of nine articles in the 2019 Ageism Awareness Series. I would like to thank the Fergus Falls Senior Citizens Program, Inc., where I serve as program supervisor, for supporting these efforts by encouraging me to write them for a 2019 Ageism Awareness Campaign. These articles will be published in the Healthy Aging section of a regional paper in West Central MN. It is the Senior Center’s and my hope that raising awareness on ageism in our area will create a healthier environment for all who live here to grow older.
I will also publish this series here on my blog, Refined By Age, in the hopes of reaching an even broader audience. For, growing older is a common destiny for us all, whatever age we may reach. I hope you will stay with me through the entire series as I explain what ageism is, the many ways ageism manifests itself, and ways we can address it.
Ageism has been on society’s radar for decades, but, unlike other forms of discrimination, little has been accomplished to overcome it. This is a sad statement on the apathy within society to take ageism seriously. Ageism’s time has come to take front and center stage. Although awareness and research on ageism by experts in many fields began decades ago, I believe it will be fully challenged by the baby boom generation who has disrupted the status quo of every age they have passed through.
Ageism is a form of discrimination that is, to this day, embedded in the minds of our children by media, marketing and uninformed people in their lives. It’s time we as individuals and a society awaken to the plight that ageism truly is. On one end of the spectrum ageism is concealed by humor, and on the other end it is downright deadly.
Thank you all for joining me on this important journey. The series will terminate in September with a moving, personal story about the effects of ageism on one family’s life. Watch your in-box for the first post next Sunday, January 20.
Best regards,
Kathy
- Posted in: 2019 Ageism Awareness Campaign
Refined by Age 
I look forward to the series!!!
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Thank you, Brendan. I can’t wait to share it and hope it generates some lively discussion. Kathy
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wonder do you know my ant ageism endeavor begun in 19 77′ with NOW’solder women’s committee? key member of older women; league in 1982 or sowe on the media committee did an ageism aware program one sons became mature at heart gcam did a program columnist for our town weekly since 1977 – often related toageism etctera file cabinets full of realed material my columns and much else but what is so desperate needed relates to elder people the most ignored by societyyes even in china etctera the various and also inevitable ills and lack of support all too ignoredi am more and more disabled etctera stories need to be told the population is aging and you will be there one day every good wish to you kate and tor your inclusion of the old old in your work most sincerely bette dewing
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You are truly a pioneer in the ageism awareness movement, Bette. My only hope is that society will begin to take this pervasive form of discrimination seriously. You are correct when you say it is a worldwide problem – not just an American one. Please stay in touch and let me know how you are doing. Perhaps we can talk one day about telling your story. It sounds like you have led a very interesting life. Kathy
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