"Who me, ageist?" Ageism Discussion and Awareness Initiative

A thought-provoking and interactive discussion on the topic of ageism and age discrimination from a variety of perspectives. This conversation will follow the framework and concepts of Ashton Applewhite, a renowned anti-ageism advocate and author of This Chair Rocks, A Manifesto Against Ageism. This discussion will also kick off a consciousness-raising initiative by Positive Aging Sourcebook to help lead the process of social change on this topic. 

Chat Transcript

12:05:12     From  Galaxy Note9 : Good afternoon All! JP Glynn from Visiting Angels of Harford and Cecil Counties. 443-484-2181, www.visitingangels.com/abingdon, jpglynn@visitingangels.com

12:05:23     From  Gregory Fenlon : Hi Pam!

12:05:43     From  Mark Asch : Hello All and Happy Friday! I hope you are having a great week. This is Mark Asch with Right At Home, a licensed home care agency providing caregivers to assist with non-medical home care in Montgomery County, Prince George's County and parts of Baltimore City and County  410-292-2405 Direct    mark@rightathomemd.net

12:06:06     From  kimberly lipinski   to   All panelists : Kim Lipinski Elder Nourish private chef service, all custom menus, meals delivered. kim@eldernourish.com 571-234-1135 www.eldernourish.com

12:06:15     From  Ifeoma Ijomah   to   All panelists : Good afternoon everyone!  I’m Ifeoma Ijomah a student intern from Seabury Resources for aging

12:06:48     From  Silvia Balderas : Hello! I’m Silvia Balderas, Professional  Organizer, Your Life Simplified, LLC, (301) 442-5543, www.ylsimplified.com, TellMeMore@ylsimplified.com . Have a great organized day!

12:06:55     From  Deb Merriner : Greetings from Buckley’s for Seniors! 703-390-0535, www.buckleys4seniors. premium concierge and transportation.

12:07:14     From  Vanessa Ripps : Hello All, I'm Vanessa Ripps from Silver Spring Village in Silver Spring Maryland, Vanessa.ripps@silverspringvillage.org 

12:07:34     From  kimberly lipinski : Kim Lipinski Elder Nourish private chef service, all custom menus, meals delivered. kim@eldernourish.com 571-234-1135 www.eldernourish.com

12:07:35     From  Jamila Blake   to   All panelists : Jamila Blake, MSW, Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition

12:08:28     From  Teresa Berger   to   All panelists : Hi ALL! Happy Friday! I am actually from Atlanta Georgia and am an Independent Patient Advocate! Love hearing about aging and what we can do throughout the country to make life easier, better and more client-centered! 470-489-1961

12:09:10     From  Pamela Silberman-Mills : Get your Certification as a Dementia Practitioner!  Qualify to receive your credential in the best practices of dementia care.  ZOOM class will be September 26 and 27th, 3pm to 9pm Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/alzheimers-disease-and-dementia-care-training-towards-cdp-credential-tickets-120538819855

12:09:12     From  Sharyn Casapulla   to   All panelists : Hello! I'm Sharyn Casapulla, MSW Aging Life Care Manager with Lifematters in Northern Virginia

12:09:38     From  Sharyn Casapulla   to   All panelists : Contact: scasapulla@lifemattersusa.com or 301-531-4706

12:10:57     From  Juanita Ross : Juanita Ross, Case Manager for Services for Older Refugees at Catholic Charities, Migration and Refugee Services, (703) 454-4900

12:11:01     From  Mary Anne Hardy : Hello! Mary Anne Hardy of Montgomery Health Advocates, LLC. info@MontgomeryHealthAdvocates.com

12:11:35     From  Vanessa Ripps : Inherent bias

12:13:21     From  Deena Imbriglia : Greetings from Deena Imbriglia of Home Instead/Annandale(dimbriglia.imbriglia@homeinstead;  703-750-6644). Providing companion and personal care in the home with heartfelt concern and awareness.

12:14:55     From  Camille Adams   to   All panelists : Hello I am Camille Adams I work at the Department of Social Services and I am on thank you

12:21:04     From  Judy Wagner : I am in the private sector and see ageism all the time.  It is a considered factor in determining job promotions and next assignments.  Older people are often overlooked because they are thought that they may retire any time and it's not worth the effort to train them.

12:22:52     From  Judith Shaw : Senior= Seasoned

12:23:20     From  Gregory Fenlon : I prefer to address as Elders.

12:24:38     From  Caroline Wayner : Ashton Applewhite likes the term "olders." So many options!

12:25:56     From  kimberly lipinski : My company is called Elder Nourish, but clients tell me a lot of the time that "they are not elderly" I chose the name as a show of respect for elders. Even people in their 80's sometime tell me this! I don't know of a better word...

12:26:03     From  Caroline Wayner : YES!!

12:26:20     From  Pamela Silberman-Mills : I started out rather young in this field and my first Healthcare Administrator referred to me as "Skippy" to focus on how young I was.. couldn't wait to get some gray hair to prove myself.. don't have to worry about that anymore. :-)

12:28:09     From  Katherine Alexander : Pam I have experienced that at my last job! I was always having to prove myself 

12:28:37     From  Adriana Carr   to   All panelists : Addressing ageism within your own family adds to challenges, especially when your mission is to support successful aging.

12:30:33     From  Mark Asch : It is for those who don't want to be left at home...alone

12:32:31     From  Mary Ellen Knecht : Seniors/elders are very ageist, themselves.  Some IL buildings don't want to see any walkers anywhere - must be checked in the coat room. This is an outcome of ageism in the culture. 

12:33:14     From  M K : I'm trying to use the term "55 and above" as many of those that assume us "seniors" are "old" are actually over 55 themselves.

12:34:37     From  Vanessa Ripps : Why do we need to label people?

12:35:42     From  mary busse   to   All panelists : there are some interesting comments in the chat.  can they be saved?

12:35:55     From  SUSAN WRANIK : That walker issue in community dining rooms is mandated by safety.

12:36:07     From  Gregory Fenlon : I agree with you Vanessa! But unfortunately, many folks don't think about that...

12:37:19     From  SUSAN WRANIK : It's not only early onset dementia.  ALS, Parkinson's, MS,CP - these are not age determined.  So let's be inclusive about the "differently abled."

12:37:40     From  Donna Blackwell : I work at the area agency on aging and speak with people all the time who state they aren't ready for "that" yet. "that" means a senior center; and old is always at least a year older than you are now. :)

12:38:00     From  Caroline Wayner : Donna, so true!

12:38:44     From  Sean Curry : I notice a lot of counties group together aging and disability departments - seems this may provide a negative connotation both ways

12:38:59     From  Mary Ellen Knecht : Good to know about the dining room - but seniors are still very conscious about things looking "old" in their community. 

12:40:08     From  Meg LaPorte   to   All panelists : I frankly think that the focus on “successful aging” is somewhat ageist and a damaging term for all of us, as it frames aging as binary — you either age successfully or not, when in fact I believe that aging is living and why place pressure on someone who is older to have to be healthier or more successful in that endeavor when we all are aging?

12:40:44     From  Caroline Wayner : Agreed, Meg!

12:40:57     From  SUSAN WRANIK : Yes they are! Sometime even more biased against those who require assistance (walkers, in particular).  

12:41:46     From  Santana Akinsete   to   All panelists : On the skilled nursing side I've had residents who refused rehab in a snf due to the demograpghic "looking too old " - even though they were in the same age range as the other residents.

12:41:46     From  Meg LaPorte   to   All panelists : Great suggestion, Steve!

12:41:50     From  SUSAN WRANIK : Like "retiring rom driving."

12:42:14     From  Judith Shaw : I like that!

12:47:48     From  Jamila Blake   to   All panelists : Susan you hit it on the nose.

12:48:11     From  Caroline Wayner : Thank you, Susan!

12:49:01     From  Meg LaPorte   to   All panelists : Most of my friends are similar to my age but I do have a few who are in different “generations,” that come from various aspects of my life. Some of my mother’s friends are my friends and some of my daughter’s friends are also valued friends to me.

12:50:21     From  kimberly lipinski : A best friend of mine is 86 years old. I'm 59. I write to him every week and visit regularly. Our conversations are incredible as he tells me about his life and experiences. It's one of the richest friendships I've had.

12:51:10     From  Meg LaPorte   to   All panelists : Sounds like an amazing program!!

12:51:21     From  mary busse   to   All panelists : This is great! I realize I have used ageism on myself.  I am a healthy, active 80 year old, who was very surprised that a 50 year old young woman would want to walk with me.  We have been walking for an hour five days a week. She says she is having a ball, and so am I! From now on, I am going to react differently when people tell me I don't look my age.

12:51:28     From  Jamila Blake   to   All panelists : Elva is this program in the Maryland area?

12:52:36     From  Caroline Wayner : Apart, Not Alone is a similar program in Baltimore that started during the pandemic.

12:53:12     From  Judith Shaw : Lor

12:54:58     From  Jamila Blake   to   All panelists : Caroline thank you so much for that resource

12:55:03     From  Jamila Blake   to   All panelists : I will be looking into this

12:55:08     From  Rita Sherman : have classes to change beliefs and attitudes

12:55:23     From  Beverly Bugos : I have seen some families from other cultures are very respectful but I have also seen the son getting impatient and disrespectful with his mother, etc.  The "American" way of treating elders is in some cases moving to the US way, losing their cultural ways.

12:57:01     From  Beverly Bugos :  Canes and crutches can be short term.  They have new walkers that allow people to stand upright and is much better for people that need these.

12:59:36     From  Beverly Bugos : The term Senior is used in many places - high school, etc.  It seems a more acceptable than old, elderly, etc.

12:59:44     From  Meg LaPorte   to   All panelists : Thank you, Steve, for a great forum!

13:00:01     From  Deb Merriner   to   All panelists : great presentation

13:00:14     From  Ifeoma Ijomah   to   All panelists : Thank you

13:00:15     From  Gregory Fenlon : Thank you Caroline and Steve...really great!

13:00:46     From  Adrienne Robinson : Thank you all.

13:01:45     From  Donna Blackwell : thanks to all