ICAA’S Changing the Way We Age® Campaign
www.changingthewayweage.com
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What is ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age® Campaign?
Why are we involved?
What is our commitment?
Your mission
What is your role as an ICAA Champion?
Your toolkit
Questions to answer
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ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age® Campaign aims
to shift society’s perceptions of aging by
overturning stereotypes and encouraging more
positive, realistic views of aging.
A picture is worth a thousand ageist words
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Adults with positive self-perceptions of aging engage in
more health-promotion strategies and take better care
of themselves than those with negative perceptions.
Those with negative self-perceptions of aging live 7.6
years less than those who have a positive outlook.
[Organization name] is involved in the ICAA’s
Changing the Way We Age® Campaign because we…
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[place the reason(s) why your organization decided to
get involved in the ICAA campaign]
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[Organization name] is committed to helping change
the way society perceives aging by informing the
media, marketers, families and individuals about the
untapped human potential associated with aging.
[Organization name] has the opportunity to select
ICAA Champions from among our staff and
customers. ICAA Champions are people who can
take on the role of educator and role model in the
community. This is you!
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Help create a new vision
for aging.
Explain the factors driving
this vision.
Educate and inspire.
And…[place additional
points to cover]
To be an advocate in the community by
committing to at least two of the
following:
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Speaking to groups to help communicate the
messages of ICAA’s Changing the Way We
Age® Campaign about society’s perceptions of
aging, and to educate the community.
Being a positive role model and participating in
a variety of community events—for example:
serving as a Master of Ceremonies at an event
such as a fun run or fundraiser; taking part in
charitable and educational events.
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Create positive messages in your marketing and presentations to
counter negative stereotyping:
Negative
• I’m too old to do X activity.
• “They” don’t want seniors here.
• I can’t learn anything new at this
stage of life.
• I can’t express my anger because
they’ll think I’m just a crotchety
older person.
• I won’t try to get that job; they’ll
never hire me because I’m too old.
• I guess I should start taking
medications; everyone else my age
does.
• Why should I exercise? It’s downhill
from here anyway.
Positive
• It can’t hurt to try X activity and see
what happens.
• I’m entitled to go where I want.
• I want to tap into my potential and
learn X. Lots of other people like me are
doing the same thing.
• I’m entitled to express my feelings.
• I have a lot to offer…May as well give
it a shot and see if they appreciate my
experience.
• I don’t have to bow to peer pressure.
• This is a new chapter of my life…Let’s
see what I can do next.
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Contacting local media to pass on the message of ICAA’s
Changing the Way We Age® Campaign (distributing press
releases, sharing current research and providing positive stories).
Posting stories or other relevant content on the ICAA’s Changing
the Way We Age® Champions profile page.
Volunteering in the community and schools.
Communicating to ICAA ideas about how ICAA Champions can
assist with the campaign to get the message out.
Make a difference.
Campaign support tools for ICAA
Champions available now!
 Most components of the ICAA toolkit
can be fully customized to meet your
specific needs as you get started and to
keep everyone informed about your
progress.
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[Review tools]
You will find these tools at
www.changingthewayweage.com/Champions/champion-tools.htm
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ICAA will be adding new tools over time.
If there's anything you need immediately
but don't see, email: info@icaa.cc
rethink aging posters
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We are all aging/getting older from the moment we’re born.
There is no magic age at which someone suddenly becomes
“older” versus “younger”—it’s all relative.
Aging is not synonymous with disease; it’s not something to be
“cured.”
Aging is a fact of life, not something to be scorned, ridiculed, or
“fought.”
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Older people have a rich store of experience.
This valuable asset grows even richer with use—in business, with
friends and family, in volunteer endeavors, in avocations.
ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age® Campaign is calling on all sectors
of society to change its vision of aging from decline to opportunity—
and to welcome the tremendous human potential and contributions
of its older population.
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“Anti-aging” is a misnomer.
No product or service can make
someone grow younger rather
than older.
The term implies something is
wrong with aging.
But aging is a natural process
that every living thing on earth
goes through.
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Ask about their perceptions of aging—now,
and for themselves.
Discuss how family members, older friends
reinforce or go against their perceptions.
Build awareness of ageist stereotypes, giving
examples.
Talk about why you volunteered to become
an ICAA Champion.
Respond to questions about growing older.
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Do you understand the focus of the campaign?
Do you understand our commitment as an ICAA Champion
Organization?
Do you understand your role as an individual ICAA Champion?
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How will you use and deliver ICAA Champions tools?
When?
Where?
With whom?
What tool(s) will you use?
How will you use campaign tools?
Communication Guidelines
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ICAA Champion web page
This section tells you how to report, and thereby publicize, the
activities and events you organize in your role as an ICAA Champion.
You will also be able to share your "Success stories" for others to
read, including PDF files (if you want to include examples) and
related images.
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Results matter
Your feedback and reporting is crucial for ICAA to gauge the overall
success of the ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age® Campaign.
“By changing views and expectations of aging, it is our
view that society will not only manage population aging
better, but also promote a new vision of aging. In that
sense, we are not just launching a campaign; we are
changing lives.”
Colin Milner, CEO,
International Council on Active Aging®