Guyana joins the rest of the world today in observance of International Day of Older Persons, which is commemorated on October 1 each year.
On December 14, 1990, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly voted to establish October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons as recorded in Resolution 45/106. The holiday was observed for the first time on October 1, 1991.
According to the UN, the 2016 observance will take a stand against ageism by drawing attention to and challenging negative stereotypes and misconceptions about older persons and ageing. The International Day of Older Persons is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions older people make to society and raise awareness of the issues and challenges of ageing in today’s world.
The theme for 2016, ‘Take a Stand Against Ageism’, challenges everyone to consider ageism – the negative attitudes and discrimination based on age – and the detrimental impact it has on older people.
Ageism is stereotyping and discrimination on the basis of a person’s age. Ageism is widespread and an insidious practice which has harmful effects on the health of older adults. This year, the UN is challenging everyone to identify and question these internalised ageist attitudes, and to understand the serious impact that these attitudes have.
The World Report on Ageing and Health says that age-based stereotypes influence behaviours, policy development and even research, and addressing these must lie at the core of any public-health response to population ageing.
As is customary, month-long activities will be rolled out locally, to raise awareness about the myriad of issues affecting the elderly in society.
For this segment of the population, particularly in Guyana, facing the challenges of getting older, coupled with societal biases and prejudices, is an everyday occurrence. The elderly are often thought of as the forgotten and the excluded. And while some provision is made for them, it is evident that much more can be done nationally and at the individual level.
Age discrimination is nothing new, however it is a serious issue particularly with regards to long-term care in Guyana’s context. From poor treatment in long-term or elderly assisted living facilities to lack of adequate access to medical treatment. What is lacking is clear direction on how the authorities plan to tackle this problem and how they intend to alter the public’s perception of the elderly in Guyana.
Among the myriad of ways psychologists suggest the issues associated with ageism can be addressed is by encouraging positive attitudes toward aging to children in the home. Attitudes can change with education, familiarity and understanding.
A change in attitude is also required by members of society, where “old geezer” stereotypes still exist especially when the elderly, for one reason or another may be trying to obtain employment or equal standing in the workplace. These negative stereotypes have the potential to not only affect those it is directed to emotionally, but can have a physical effect as well and can actually shorten lives.
Psychologist Becca Levy, PhD, assistant professor of public health at Yale University, in a longitudinal study of 660 people 50 years and older, found that those with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those with negative self-perceptions of aging. The study appeared in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Vol. 83, No. 2). Likewise, people’s positive beliefs about and attitudes toward the elderly appear to boost their mental health.
It is imperative that we are all reminded of the valuable contributions of this segment of the population and that we also keep in mind that one day that the issues affecting the elderly will also affect us.
It is therefore time to take a stand and challenge the false stereotypes attached to individuals over a certain age, it is time to change the way older people are treated in regard to their competence and value in society. In the grand scheme of things, stamping out ageism is in our best interest.
