October 9 is Ageism Awareness Day 2024
This day, led in the US by the American Society on Aging, draws attention to ageism and its impacts. Ageism negatively affects our health and well-being, financial security, and economy. We can amplify our efforts by raising our voices to end ageism together. Here are a few things you can do for that day and beyond.
Educate yourself
We start with ourselves when it comes to fighting ageism. Learn more about how to change our own minds and how to respond when we experience ageism.
- Learn about and counter your self-talk and internalized ageism.
- Check out Changing the Narrative’s Speak Up guides to be ready when you encounter ageism. Download the charts and share them!
- Want to go deeper? Dig into how to reframe aging both as a individual and in your organization.
The ASA is also offering Janine Vanderburg’s seminal Ending Ageism Together webinar on Ageism Awareness Day, October 9, at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. (Note that this event is free for ASA members and has a fee for non-members.)
Inform and educate your community
The American Society on Aging (ASA) has put together a free toolkit with resources for both learning about ageism and taking action, including:
- an ageism fact sheet
- a sample proclamation for legislators
- a template press release for announcing your efforts
- a social media guide with text and graphics
- an educator’s guide for reimagining 100th Day of School celebrations
Whether you are an organization or an individual, there are ways to participate, from sharing on social media to asking your local media and government representatives to recognize Ageism Awareness Day.
Do you have or know kids? Check out the educational guide in the toolkit and get a copy of A Kids Book an Ageism. Read it to a child you know or even donate one to your library.
Learn more about the toolkit and how to use it during ASA’s September 10 webinar.
Connect with people of other ages
Research shows education and intergenerational connections are effective methods for reducing ageism. When we come together to share our perspectives, our attitudes shift about age and people of different ages. We can discover what we have in common. We can all participate in reducing our biases and take concrete steps in our lives to reduce ageism. Read more about the power of connections between ages and download the intergenerational conversation toolkit.
Then, learn more about successful intergenerational programs in American Society on Aging’s September 5 webinar.
Host a book discussion
Gather friends or colleagues – or maybe your existing book club or other community group – to read the book Breaking the Age Code, by Dr. Becca Levy. Then, use Changing the Narrative’s toolkit to host a conversation about the impact of ageism in our lives.
Make it visual
Do you or your organization have a newsletter or social media? If so, feel free to share our graphic, Imagine a World Without Ageism. The graphic illustrates a shared vision of what a world without ageism could look like, co-created by a group of people from across the US and beyond during a Changing the Narrative convening. Graphic recording by Sue Fody.
Also, check out Dr. Tracey Gendron’s poster on disrupting ageism (and here are some ideas on how to use it).
Spark a conversation with a video
How about some video prompts for a discussion about ageism? During Older Americans Month 2023, we videoed influencers from across the United States and beyond who responded to the question, “What would aging look like if it were unbound by ageism?” Select a few videos that you think would resonate with your audience, whether it’s students in a classroom, older adults in a community program, or your friends and professional colleagues. Watch and discuss what we can do to address ageism in our everyday lives.
Changing the Narrative also produced a video and discussion guide on ageism in healthcare called Antidotes to Ageism. It is a concise compilation of interviews with professionals who serve older adults. Learn from their insights about what ageism is and how it shows up in healthcare settings. Inspire your community to take actionable steps to remove ageism from healthcare.
The easiest way to do something . . .
Share this blog and the resources you find here. Join us to take action for Ageism Awareness Day 2024! Together, we can do more.