Overcoming Ageism &
Rediscovering Life Purpose
Michael Faber
Grand Rapids Community College
THE PROBLEM:
AGEISM
AGEISM
AGEISM
What Is It?
As with the isms of racism and sexism, ageism is
a set of beliefs, attitudes, social institutions, and
acts that denigrate individuals or groups based
on their chronological age. The components of
ageism represent stereotypic views of different
age groups and theoretically could apply to
teenagers as well as to older persons. However,
for all practical purposes, ageism is used as a
term referring to stereotyped views of older
persons.
What Is It?
The negative feature of ageism is that, like other
stereotypes, it involves making
overgeneralizations about individuals based on
outward characteristics that they possess.
Frequently these older persons then become
victims of acts, behaviors, and statements that
demean them. Hence they become victims of
discrimination in employment, education, and
government. They therefore become judged not
by their abilities but by their age.
CAUSES OF AGEISM?
The Perpetuation of Myths and
Stereotypes of Aging by:
– Society…a learned behavior
– Older persons themselves…a self-fulfilling
prophecy
– Well meaning educators and professionals
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS?
A paradigm shift brought about by:
• Education of society
• Aging individuals…accept and embrace
aging as a dynamic, productive part of
the life cycle – the power of the Baby
Boomers as a change agent
• The impact and role of professionals
THE ROLE OF THE PROFESSIONAL
Questions for self-reflection:
• Do I hold any stereotypical views of aging
and older persons?
• In my work, words, and actions do I
dispel or perpetuate ageist myths and
stereotypes?
• What can I do to create societal change?
Do You View Aging Like This…
Or Like This…
Helping Older Persons
to Re-discover their…
Life Purpose
Jim Emerman, former researcher with the
American Society on Aging said:
“To be successful in the aging process one needs
purpose in life; whether one finds that in faithbased organizations, political activity, involvement
in the arts and humanities, or in volunteerism.
Purpose resonates with health and creativity.”
Aging Today, September/October 2006
Purpose is Defined As:
Purpose is a result, end, aim, or goal of
an action intentionally undertaken, or
of an object being brought into use or
existence, whether or not the purpose
was a primary or secondary effect. It is
possible that an intentional act may have
multiple purposes, only one of which is a
primary intention while the remainder are
secondary intentions.
From Wikipedia
What Is Life Purpose?
• It is the primary reason for one’s existence
• It is what one is here to DO while they are
alive
• It is the 'overarching meaning of one’s life'
that shapes them and all that they do (as
expressed in all areas of one’s life, not just
a few areas like a job or primary role)
• It’s one’s own personal Mission Statement
At the center of a person who is aging
successfully with life purpose is:
• A sense of well-being that comes from living with
purpose and joy
• The ability to deal effectively with life’s dangers
and challenges
• Sustaining positive, meaningful, and dynamic
relationships
• The ability to rekindle the passions of one’s youth,
which were reduced or lost because of pressures
of parenting and jobs
Yale University Study
660 persons age 50+
(AARP March/April 2007)
People who viewed aging positively lived an
average of 7.5 years longer than those without a
positive view of aging…they focused on the good
things of life such as wisdom instead of their
aches and pains.
Yale University Study
660 persons age 50+
(AARP March/April 2007)
The role of personality in life’s trajectory cannot
be overstated. Optimism, good humor, curiosity,
energy and intellectual involvement are
associated with healthy aging.
Yale University Study
660 persons age 50+
(AARP March/April 2007)
One should think of their possible selves…think
of the ideal that they hope to be and have a plan
to fulfill that image.
Beyond the Myths of Aging
People Need People:
Social factors play an equally significant role in aging as
does exercise and good nutrition.
Unmarried males with less than 6 friends or relatives who do
not participate in community networks are at increased risk
for death from heart disease, stroke, accidents and suicide.
Those with social networks live longer after cardiovascular
episodes.
Those with strong relationships have less mental decline and
live more active, pain-free lives without physical limitation.
Harvard Public Review (2000)
People Need People:
Elderly people who live alone, have no friends, or have poor
relationships with their children are 60% more likely to
develop dementia than those with satisfying social contact.
Social connectedness is among the most important predictors
of health and independence as we age…almost as strong as
not smoking or being overweight.
Experts speculate that social isolation may create a
chronically stressful condition to which the organism responds
by aging faster.
The authors of Successful Aging agree “human beings are not
meant to live solitary lives…talking, touching, and relating to
others is essential to our well-being.”
Harvard Public Review (2000)
Study Links Seniors’ Loneliness to Higher
Risk of Dementia
According to Dr. Robert Wilson of the Rush
University Medical Center in Chicago, in a study
of 323 eighty year olds, those who described
themselves as lonely were twice as likely to
develop dementia.
USA Today (2/6/07)
The Value of Friendship
• Friendship is important to maintaining the health of
older persons.
• Having a strong circle of friends is good for the heart
and can strengthen the auto-immunological system.
• People who have one or more good friends have
better health than those who have casual or no
friends.
• One close friend can help relieve stress, depression,
and isolation, as well as provide emotional support.
• However, if one wants to have a friend one must be
friendly. One must get involved.
George E. Vailiant in his book “Aging
Well” found that:
Social aptitude or emotional intelligence rather
than brilliance or genetics or wealth leads to a
well-adapted old age.
He also found that healing relationships are
facilitated by a capacity for love, gratitude and
forgiveness.
Aging Well
Aging with Enthusiasm & Life Purpose
(Aphorisms and Proverbs on Aging…Ignore them at your peril)
• People retire. Minds don’t.
• Why you age is up to nature. How you age is up
to you.
• Anger management prevents unkind words from
developing into a life sentence.
• Retirement is more a state of mind than a stage of
life.
Aging Well
Aging with Enthusiasm & Life Purpose
(Aphorisms and Proverbs on Aging…Ignore them at your peril)
•It’s a matter of fact that we positively age. It’s a
matter of choice that we age positively.
•Optimists age like wine. Pessimists age like milk.
•A fundamental flaw in modern medicine is doctors
don’t get paid unless you are sick.
•Life-span is how long you can live. Life expectancy
is how long you’re likely to live.
Aging Well
Aging with Enthusiasm & Life Purpose
(Aphorisms and Proverbs on Aging…Ignore them at your peril)
•If you cannot change your life, then why not
change the way you live it?
•If you won’t try until you’re absolutely ready, all you
will ever achieve is a state of readiness.
•If you don’t start somewhere you will end up
nowhere near anywhere.
•The best way to preserve your youth is to preserve
your sense of curiosity and wonder.
Aging Well
Aging with Enthusiasm & Life Purpose
(Aphorisms and Proverbs on Aging…Ignore them at your peril)
• If you are smart, you answer the question. If you
are wise, you question the answer.
• What you don’t know can hurt you.
• Planning makes retirement work.
• Successful retirement depends on what you retire
to, not from.
The old adage remains
true…
If You Fail to Plan
Then You Plan to Fail
LIFE DIRECTION EXERCISE
• Purpose Statement (Should incorporate
one’s values/guiding principles)
• Short Term Goals (6 to 12 months)
• Action Steps (necessary to meet short
term goals)
• Long Term Goals (3 to 5 years)
• Action Steps (necessary to meet long
term goals)
“Life is like a tenspeed bike. Most of
us have gears we
never use.”
Charles Schultz
How Do You Measure Up?