Ageism a challenge

Ageism is a form of discrimination in which people are judged depending on their age.

Ageism, like racism and sexism, is defined by unfavourable prejudices about individuals of various ages.

Ageism affects both young and old people. Discrimination based on age may be seen in a range of places and situations, including the workplace and in healthcare.

History of Ageism 

Robert N. Butler, a gerontologist, coined the word ageism to characterise discrimination against older people. 

Today, the phrase may be used to describe any sort of age-based discrimination, whether it is directed against children, teens, adults, or the elderly.

A few signs of ageism:

Exclusion from the group either family,school or workplace.

Negative comment about age 

Ageism may be divided into two categories. 

1. Ageism refers to prejudice and discrimination directed towards older people, whereas

2. Reverse ageism describes how younger people might endure prejudice and discrimination as a result of their age.

According to a United Nations research on ageism (report on 18th March 2021), every second person on the planet has ageist views, which leads to poorer physical and mental health and lower quality of life for older people, costing nations billions of dollars each year. Young men with a lower educational standing were shown to have the most ageist sentiments.

Older and younger individuals have been categorized in public discourse and on social media even during the outbreak of Covid19. Age has been used as the only criterion for access to medical treatment, life saving therapies, and physical seclusion in some situations.

“Ageism towards younger and older people is prevalent, unrecognized, unchallenged and has far-reaching consequences for our economies and societies,” said Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Ageism has significant and far-reaching implications for people's health and happiness. Ageism is linked to poor physical and mental health, increased social isolation and loneliness, increased financial insecurity, lower quality of life, and early death among the elderly. Ageism is estimated to be responsible for 6.3 million episodes of depression worldwide. It connects and exacerbates various types of bias and disadvantage, such as sexism, racism, and disability, having a detrimental influence on people's health and well-being.

This form of discrimination might result in salary inequalities, forced retirement, or trouble obtaining work in such situations.

Due to their perceived lack of experience, younger persons may have trouble obtaining employment and receiving lesser pay, whereas older adults may have difficulty getting promotions, finding new work, and changing fields.

The health and well-being of older people is severely harmed by ageism. It's linked to a shorter lifespan, faster cognitive decline, more loneliness, and a lack of educational and work opportunities. 

Ageism, according to the World Health Organization, is a widespread global issue that contributes to ill health, social isolation, premature death, and huge economic consequences.  According to a research published in the journal The Gerontologist in 2020, the cost of ageism in the United States is $63 million per year.

It  is shown to be lower in countries with a larger population of healthy older persons, demonstrating that ageism is connected to health and life expectancy. Ageism has a negative impact on older people's health and well-being. It's linked to a shorter lifespan, faster cognitive decline, more loneliness, and limited educational and career opportunities.

Health care can also be influenced by age. Age has a decisive factor in the kind of treatments and medical procedures that patients undergo, according to a 2020 comprehensive study.

According to the World Health Organization, ageism is responsible for 6.3 million episodes of depression globally.

Tackling with this evil Ageism;

Ageism, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), is a significant problem that should be dealt equally to sex, racial, and disability-based prejudice. According to the APA, boosting public awareness about the problems that ageism causes can assist. Finding strategies to reduce ageism will become increasingly crucial as the population of older persons continues to grow. 

Interventions have been shown to be beneficial in combating ageism. These are some of them:

1. Education: Instruction and curriculum based on the process of aging, ageism and  its effect will certainly be a sure short idea of tackling this. 

2. Intergenerational contract: Increase the contact of people of different ages with that they will get to know the attitude and problem of each other with which prejudice will lower down. 

At least both combinedly reduce the negative approach towards aging. 

Legal angle of tackling ageism in India;

Article 41 of the Indian Constitution made a provision directing state that “The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to public assistance in cases of old age.”

The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007

It's really a matter of shame that in a Country like India where Parents are considered to be the world of their children, better say where Lord Ganesha considers their parents Lord Shiva and Parvati as his world, is in need of any kind of law.