Older people themselves aren’t the issue, but the way we talk about them is. We must change the language our society uses to describe older adults. But childish laughs and complacent language hurt everyone, exacerbating social exclusion and age discrimination and instilling a fear of growing older. Internalized ageism, prevalent among older adults, is associated with negative health outcomes including lower life expectancy, high blood pressure and reduced self-esteem. But as our older adult population swells, the rest of us must catch up with choosing age-inclusive language.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 19, 2024 09:07 UTC