What is Ageism?

Most people love the elders in our lives and we all hope to grow old, so why do we discriminate against them?

oday's job market is showing the truth about fairness with hiring aged qualifying professionals. We as society must remember that one day, we will become elderly. When you are living a young vibrant and productive life, seeing yourself as an old person can be very difficult.

Some people do not accept aging as a slow process that will occur. When they look for employment, they are told “you are overqualified.” and when they go for medical exams, they often hear you are doing well “for your age.”

Ageism is definitely on the rise in the workplace. The challenges of mixed-age workforces and the attitudes of having to retrain and believing that seniors cannot be intellectually swift, open to company sudden changes or they can function effectively and efficiently with the new technology especially in the creative industries has increased tremendously — especially during this pandemic. The aged population are struggling with learning how to utilize tele conferences programs. But do our governments share concerns regarding, aged discrimination?

This matter has always been a minor issue, but it will become more of an important issue as more of us need to access it and live longer. Is 70 the new 50? Society must stop believing that age confers value or authority. We have to give up on the young /old binary view of the world.

Unlike other prejudices such as racism and sexism, which are manifestations of fear and other beliefs, ageism is a direct target of our future selves, in which no prejudice should be rationalized, but with ageism, society has seemed to internalize it. We have been complicit in our own marginalization and it will require changing or

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‘A Political View’

By Sherry Holliman SHERRY HOLLIMAN (cont.)

implementing age discrimination policies and being more consciousness to advocate for corrections.

The truth of this reality concerning many of the ageing individuals is they have earned the right to continue seeking employment through gained experience, education, and will always be prepared for a world that is becoming extinct for them. Hiring an aged individual can improve a workplace. Age discrimination is subtle and illegal. Hiring professionals should be focused on the value of adding an aged worker to the organization because they bring retention, strong work ethics, and dependability.

Contrary to these positives factors, hiring professionals are bias and stick to their beliefs of aged workers being over qualified, lacking energy, increased medical expense, and less likely to understand changing trends with technology.

How do we change society's

The same way we have always done it, with a movement and voting. It is time for us to raise our voices, to show that we care about our aged population. We need to change the language that stereotypes older adults.

Everyone should fight against discrimination that keeps people from living a valuable life and makes us the other. Overall people are more than a number.

Sherry Holliman is a concerned citizen of Crittenden County and has some views on a variety of topics that she wants to share with her neighbors. She serves on the Marion City Council.