We need younger people to see the issues of age stereotyping

Only by tackling ageism at both ends of the age spectrum simultaneously can we actually make a dent in it

Paul Nash, Instructional Associate Professor of Gerontology at the School of Gerontology at the University of South California, co-author of Critical Questions for Aging Societies

I confess, when I worked at La Scala, I found the tenor in Rigoletto very fascinating. From afar, the guy vaguely resembled Kenneth Branagh who, in the Nineties, was all the rage. When the singer turned and fled the scene in the first act, his golden-embroidered red cloak followed him in a sharp turn, flying in the air in the marble hall of his palace. No matter where I was in the theatre when I heard the upcoming aria, I would leave my books or the conversation I was having and run down the stairs. On every floor, on the landing of the stairs, I would catch a brief glimpse of my fleeting image in the black uniform in the extensive mirror with the thick golden frame, while the red carpet absorbed the noise of my steps. In the foyer, I opened one of the two little doors that led to the parterre and, catching my breath, I took tiny steps into the dark, passing by the marble statue of the French writer Stendhal, who, by his epitaph “loved to call himself the Milanese.” I would stop in front of the velvet barrier and wave to my colleague sitting nearby. Standing in that dark and intimate corner, I had the complete view of the stage, and that gesture, on a crescendo, had the power to concentrate the charm of voice, music, and acting. It was just a glimpse before the curtains came down. Opera was my universe, and I dwelled in it like a mouse in the cheese. 

Before the show and during the break, I took my place on the marble floor in the foyer. With mirrors on the walls, a palette of ivory and gold color, the light falling from the crystal chandeliers reminded me of birthday parties in the Seventies, when the flashlight of a Super Eight camera light up the room with a warm, ecstatic light. The atmosphere in the theater was always festive, and one evening, unexpectedly, the parents of a school friend appeared from the parterre during a break of Rigoletto. I greeted them, catching up about their daughter. We talked about the opera, and I told them how unfortunate it was that they happened to come that night when the first-cast tenor was not on stage. He had a scenic presence and a conquering voice. In comparison, the one they were listening to was a poor performer. “He’s our nephew,” they replied, freezing me on the spot. 

What sticks to my mind in hindsight is not my ingenuity that still makes me smile, but the representation of the character of Rigoletto, who appeared on the stage as a crippled old man. When Giuseppe Verdi, the composer, wrote about the idea for this opera to the director of the Venetian theater La Fenice in 1850, where the opera first appeared, he meant to have his main character “deformed and ridiculed, internally passionate and full of love.” There was no reference to his age. In my experience, age was a contemporary addition. I think about it while I discover Critical Questions for Aging Societies, a book by Paul Nash, Instructional Associate Professor of Gerontology at the School of Gerontology at the University of South California and Gemma Carney, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at the Queen’s University of Belfast, who’s contributing to the interview. Their work is a reference book for those who want to have an introduction to the subject of aging. Had it existed when I was dwelling in the opera theatre, it wouldn’t have taken me twenty-five years to look at that representation of Rigoletto with different eyes.

Where does your interest in gerontology come from?

I started my career in psychology, studying implicit attitudes, and after a review of existing literature I saw that ageism didn’t have a lot of research at that time. I proposed the idea to my supervisor who was very supportive throughout. When I was writing up my PhD I saw a job as a research assistant advertised at Swansea University under Judith Phillips, and Vanessa Burholt, professors in gerontology looking at what needs were being met in different types of residential / supported living environments. I applied for that position and was lucky enough to get the job. Immediately I embarked on a very sharp learning curve with expert support and the rest, as they say, is history.

Why did you and Gemma decide to write this book?

Gemma and I have developed a firm friendship through participation in the British Society of Gerontology. In addition to areas of research similarity, we also share a passion for teaching and pedagogy. Throughout our many years of teaching, we have been asked a lot of questions, usually centered around a small group of recurring themes. We thought that it would be a great idea to have a student-focused book to address these recurring questions in an accessible way and to enable students to test their own learning as they went. 

We also wanted an up-to-date book that covered many topics rather than specialized books for each section so that students could reach this material in an accessible way. We put the idea to the policy press and they seemed to share our excitement and so we set to work. Having worked in older people’s organizations, Gemma also wanted to write a book that could be a general introduction for anyone interested in aging. Sometimes people are interested for personal reasons, or because their work requires them to work with older people some of the time. This book is a great introduction.

It’s clear that we can’t tackle ageism without the support of the younger generation, right?

Ageism is such a societally pervasive issue; it really needs a holistic approach. We need younger people to see the issues of age stereotyping so they don't treat older people according to them but instead treat them as individuals and look at what they can do rather than what they can’t do. We need to educate older adults about typical and atypical aging so that they don’t internalize the negative attitudes about aging and embody the negative stereotypes. Only by tackling ageism at both ends of the spectrum simultaneously can we actually make a dent in it.

We also need to remember that ageism cuts both ways. We need younger people to see just how amazing older people are but similarly we need to break the stereotypes of younger people being thugs or lazy. Ageism affects younger adults, and teenagers, in particular. Think of the restrictions they have on getting jobs, pay and benefits, and even voting rights. If we break down the barriers and encourage intergenerational respect and communication then we can create a real change, especially for older adults now and for all of us as future older adults.

In an interview with Professor Ronald L. Jackson II, he pointed out that like racism, ageism is a script imposed on other people’s bodies. How do you explain the adoption and use of stereotypes?

Age stereotypes are acquired across the life course, starting when we are very young. We see advertising, TV, films, society and even friends and family reacting to age in a negative way, associating age with disease, illness, and a lack of ability. We normalize this with humour but the impact is very clear. As we age, we continue to be bombarded with these images and stereotypes and when we start to view ourselves as an older person these ageist assumptions don’t just go away. Through a process called the “Stereotype Embodiment Theory,” older adults are at risk of internalizing these negative traits and stereotypes, leading to them becoming exhibited traits in a self-fulfilling expression of the ageist beliefs. This has serious consequences, physically, cognitively and psychologically, impacting older adults and further reinforcing the social observations surrounding the medicalization of aging.

(Gemma) Of course, stereotypes are handy, which is why we use them, but it is important to remember that they are reductionist and can never capture the diversity of the older population, something that is absolutely vital to understanding the true impact of having an aging population.

What is your take on definitions like “successful aging” or “pro-aging?” 

Successful aging was a great way to start a conversation. It opened the door to talk about the ways in which people age and to separate out typical from atypical aging, aging with disease vs. not, and later, to expand knowledge towards understanding individual differences. Where the initial concept of successful aging may have been rather reductionist and binary in nature, understanding has developed to consider optimal trajectories of aging. Considering the heterogeneous nature of older adults, we need to look at life experience and facilitating satisfaction with health and enabling individuals to optimize their individual trajectory of aging. Like many other aspects of life, we have moved away from the binary and towards a scale, incorporating individual wants, needs and circumstance. Basically, only some people can age successfully – there is a strong correlation between health and wealth for instance.

How does migration impact on the projections of an aging population?

Migration can have different impacts depending on net gain or net loss. Traditionally, migrants have been younger, potentially bringing down the average age of their destination population. Further, they tend to be of childbearing age, again adding younger people into the destination population. Where this won’t have a direct long-term implication in reducing population aging, it can slow the situation and impact the dependency ratio. For the country experiencing net outward migration, it is often older adults left in place and as such, potentially increasing the rate at which population aging is experienced. What we also see with migration is that skilled younger people are usually the ones who move initially and that has the potential to decrease the number of skilled workers in a source country. This especially becomes an issue regarding aging when those skilled workers are doctors and nurses.

(Gemma) Some countries that have experienced high levels of emigration are left with too few younger people to care for older people who are left behind. This was the case of rural Ireland in the 20th century and is now the case in Poland, which has lost a generation of younger people since accession to the EU in 2004.

What about the role of intersectionality in the long run?

Our understanding and appreciation of intersectionality is really in its infancy in terms of theory, but obviously women and people of color have been experiencing multiple inequalities for years. Research methodologies are catching up with the questions we need to ask but the depth of empirical research is still missing. Thanks to the work of pioneers like Kimberlé Crenshaw, the American lawyer and civil right advocate who first developed the concept, academics and policy makers and coming to grips with intersectionality.

Thanks to social movements like Women’s Rights, Black Lives Matter and the campaign to combat ageism, the public at large is becoming more familiar with intersectionality. Acknowledging and addressing the experiences of people from different social groups enables us to understand the multiple aging trajectories. Intersectionality is a life course approach to understanding the experiences, opportunities and challenges faced by individuals and the structural barriers they may or may not face.

These accumulate through the life course and can result in huge disparities but by acknowledging their existence, we are taking the first steps to addressing and dismantling them to benefit everyone throughout each stage of life.

Coming to the politics of aging, I have the feeling that the younger and older generations have a lot in common. Do you imagine they will join forces to defend the environment and in the demand for equality?

We have way more in common than we have that separates us. We don’t see diametrically opposed views based on age categories, nor do we see people switching political viewpoints as they age. What we do see is a political system that tries to score votes rather than address long term goals so, in short, yes, I do think that we have the opportunity for intergenerational solidarity and working together to challenge universal issues.

(Gemma) Also, there is a strong role for older people to demonstrate the value of voting in elections, not just on social media.

I’m puzzled by how little our society does to bring generations together and what big impact this choice has on all generations. Do you notice a growing interest for intergenerational relationships?

I think that the growing interest in intergenerational relationships comes from an increasing understanding of their importance and their power. There is strength in unity and when we counter both youth and older age ageism, identifying the strengths within each community, we see far more similarities and skill sharing opportunities than we see areas of conflict and disagreement. We also know the importance of intergenerational relationships in maintaining wellbeing and quality of life, mutual caregiving and skill acquisition. Similarly, if we encourage and foster intergenerational contact, we rely less on stereotypes of aging and can instead challenge these assumptions, potentially benefitting this and future generations of older adults.

(Gemma) Solidarity between generations is a bit like water – it is vital for life and we take it for granted – until it is gone. We must fight hard to keep the generations together – especially during the pandemic the policy response to which has been generationally divisive.