Equality body says ageism caused by fear

There was a need to "unpick our fear of the ageing process" if ageist attitudes and discrimination were to be eliminated, the chief executive of the Equality Authority said yesterday.

At the start of the fourth annual Say No to Ageism week at the authority's headquarters in Dublin yesterday, Niall Crowley said that "at the heart of discrimination against older people is our fear of ageing".

He said ageism was a form of discrimination which, unlike others such as racism or discrimination based on a person's disability, potentially affected everyone.

He said the portrayal of young people as irresponsible and thoughtless could be as damaging as the portrayal of older people as vulnerable and less able. "Ageism is not just a cultural phenomenon," he said. "It is a set of ideas and perspectives that finds expression in corporate policy and practices across all sectors."

He expressed concern about the use of a mandatory retirement age which cut people with expertise out of the workforce.

A survey carried out for the authority found 57 per cent of those asked believed older people were treated less well than younger people. Some 63 per cent of those over 80 and 81 per cent of those under 20 were most likely to feel Ireland was not an "age-friendly" society .

Say No To Ageism week is a collaborative event, organised by the National Council on Ageing and Older People, the Health Service Executive and the Equality Authority.

Ciarán Donegan, chairman of the national council, said there was no doubt that ageism was endemic. "Regrettably, it is apparent we are still some way off from achieving the goal of an age-friendly society."

He said a study by the council found "disturbing evidence of prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory practices" against older people, particularly in accessing health and social services.

While age discrimination could not be eliminated overnight, it was encouraging that there was now a concerted approach by different bodies.

Jane Carolan, assistant national director in the HSE for older people, said it seemed that as we aged, "our value as human beings seems to decrease".

She said the HSE was challenging attitudes among professionals "through exposure, training, education and seminars such as the one which the HSE is running to coincide with the campaign".