Podcast An old issue: Ep. 4 – BREAK THE MOLD OF AGEISM
Hello, my name is Ricardo Crispim, and this is the podcast An old issue.
Today's reflection is inspired by the contributions of the writer Dulce Maria Cardoso. Her work is studied in universities in various countries, included in academic programs, and has been the subject of numerous academic theses, as well as adapted for film, theatre, and television.
In the book "Tudo são histórias de amor" published by Tinta da China, Dulce Maria Cardoso captivates us with a small part of her life shared alongside her mother. So, through the voice of my English teacher Nélia Diogo, who works at InEnglish and supports this podcast, she says:
"The elderly have been pushed away from the stages where modern life unfolds. Like stray cats that we no longer see on the street because they discreetly and secretly become ill in the backyards of buildings. Nobody cares about them."
So much to say in such a short time.
Well, Dulce Maria Cardoso's impactful contribution allows us to foresee two issues, in my opinion, which are: the abandonment of the elderly, and also what seems to be its basis, ageism.
I don't know if you've heard of this. Ageism. Yes?!
Ageism, which is a type of prejudice against age, and it occurs when age is used to categorize and divide people in ways that cause harm, disadvantages, and injustices. Let me give you two examples: a teenager may be ridiculed for getting involved in political movements. The other example is when, in the context of corporate restructuring, it often happens that older people are the ones that are sacked. Here, I've only presented external forms of ageism, but there's also self-ageism, which occurs when ageism is internalized by the individual and used against themselves.
The concept of ageism was created in 1969 by the psychologist Robert Butler.
Now, you might be wondering: When does ageism begin? Scientific literature suggests that ageism begins in childhood. Children are creatures of habit, and because they see people in their social circle treating others based on stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination, they perceive it as "normal" and structure their thinking according to what they see. Nothing is being done to stop this scourge. For example, in my research, I couldn't find any mention of ageism or its combat in the citizenship curriculum or the Annual Activity Plan of Portuguese schools.
Although ageism is present across all age groups, in Portugal, it is known to occur primarily in relation to older people. This is quite odd, and let me try to explain why...
Despite being one of the most aged countries in Europe and the world – fortunately, as it means we are living longer – we continue to be intolerant of the elderly, many of whom are seen as a burden on society and families due to their shorter healthy life expectancy. Consequently, they are more dependent on care (often expensive), and they do not contribute to the advancement of the economy, which can lead to different forms of discrimination, such as social exclusion and a lack of access to appropriate social and healthcare services. This is particularly concerning to me…
So, regarding this, scientific evidence has shown that age-related discrimination is felt by the Portuguese, surpassing discrimination numbers based on gender or ethnicity. In Portugal, this form of discrimination seems to affect older individuals more, with less impact on those aged between 65-79 and more on those over 80. It is not by chance that some experts in this field suggest using the terms "gerontism" or "ageism" to draw attention to the specific phenomenon of prejudice and discrimination against older adults.
In Portugal, in 2011, the social psychologist and university professor at ISCTE, Sibila Marques, highlighted in her work "Discriminação da Terceira Idade", published by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation, that this topic is under-studied in Portugal. I'll provide a link to the book in the episode description.
To give you an idea, the World Health Organization points out that globally, for every two people, one holds ageist attitudes towards older individuals. Scientific knowledge has shown that ageism is associated with lower life expectancy, poorer physical and mental health, slower recovery from disability, and cognitive decline. Moreover, ageism increases social isolation and loneliness and can also increase the risk of abuse and violence against older people. And just when you thought that was enough, I add that ageism significantly increases abandonment. In other words, it’s like tossing aside people who are no longer of interest.
In a document which I recommend reading, the "World Report on Ageism" developed by the World Health Organization, ageism can be reduced through policies and laws, educational interventions, and intergenerational contact. In Portugal, organizations like StopIdadismo and Cabelos Brancos serve as the basis for action, both being civil society initiatives that share a common goal of combating age-based discrimination. I'll provide links to the report and these associations in today's episode description!
I believe that if we start the fight against ageism in our own square meter, we can break some moulds. In other words, we can shatter our own preconceptions and help eliminate prejudices within our homes, among our family and friends. Perhaps this way, we can achieve some fundamental goals of a healthy community: the respect for others, regardless of their age. So, if we don't die young, which is the goal of a vast majority of people, we will certainly grow old. Now, if we want to be part of a community for all ages, improve our health, increase opportunities for happiness, reduce personal and state costs, and enable people to thrive at any age, we need to take action now – for today's elderly and for the elderly we will become one day.
I'm counting on you in the next episode. Oh, by the way, in the next episode, I'll be talking about old people and clowns.
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