Young people full of 'pity and dislike' for older people, research shows

The report by the Centre for Ageing Better, which reviewed all existing research on attitudes to ageing, found that older workers are seen as having lower levels of performance, less ability to learn, and being more costly than younger workers.

In health and social care, the review found that stereotypes are even more negative, with attitudes focusing on death and physical decline, and ageing seen as a process of increasingly bad health.

The media is a key driver of negative attitudes, representing ageing as a crisis or a societal burden, with the ageing population described using metaphors like “grey tsunami”, “demographic cliff” and “demographic timebomb”.

Often, older people are depicted as “villains” unfairly consuming too many of society’s resources.

These attitudes, the study found, can affect some groups more, with women and people from black and minority ethnic groups facing a “double jeopardy” of discrimination as they get older.

The Centre for Ageing Better, which published the report, is calling for a “fundamental culture shift” to overturn what it calls an “ingrained culture” of “pity and dislike” towards older people.

Anna Dixon, Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “Ageism, like any other form of prejudice, has a profound effect on our self-esteem, our wellbeing and the way we experience day-to-day life. The responses to the Covid-19 crisis have thrown up serious questions about the way we think and talk about older people, and highlighted what an impact those attitudes can have.

“Our new research shows that in spite of the progress we’ve made towards challenging discrimination in Britain, we still have an ingrained culture of pity, dislike and disassociation towards older people.

“Most of us are living many years longer than previous generations and this is a gift to be celebrated. But the outdated and harmful attitudes laid bare in this research are preventing too many people from making the most of those extra years.

“Ageism is deeply damaging, and yet all too often it isn’t taken as seriously as other forms of prejudice or discrimination. Britain is long overdue a fundamental culture shift to overturn these attitudes, and the media needs to reflect the diverse experiences of people in later life.”