Q. When I listen to the radio or watch the news lately, I hear a lot of stories about how older generations are holding younger generations back. My husband and I are both retired, but that doesn’t mean we have it easy! Does it seem like Baby Boomers are getting the blame for everything these days? 

A.  You’re not alone in feeling like the Baby Boomers are unfairly blamed. As a society, we’ve come a long way when it comes to stereotypes – except when it comes to stereotypes about aging. Stories in the media that pit generations against each other and reinforce outdated ideas about aging definitely don’t help. Ageism is all around us. It can affect the way we feel about our neighbors and ourselves – and how we are treated.

As we recognize Ageism Awareness Day on October 9th, the American Society on Aging challenges us to reexamine our ideas about older adults. They offer a list of stereotypes to reconsider:

Older adults are not necessarily wealthy. The 2022 median income of older people was $29,740. That same year, nearly 1 in 10 people aged 65 and older lived below the poverty level.

Older adults work. In 2023, there were 11.2 million Americans ages 65 and older in the labor force.

Older adults use technology. As of 2021, 90% of adults ages 65 and older own computers. This number is growing!

Older adults support our economy. In terms of direct spending, 56 cents of every dollar spent in 2018 in the United States was attributable to adults aged 50 and older. This is set to increase to 61 cents by 2050.

Older adults are contributing in ways we don’t always see. In 2022, 1.1 million grandparents aged 60 and older were the main caregivers for grandchildren who were living with them. If you know a grandparent caring for their grandchildren who could use some extra support, AgeSpan offers support groups and other resources. Visit our website at: www.agespan.org/solutions/caregiver-support/ to learn more.

Aging may look different for each of us, but the one thing we all have in common is that we’re all doing it – and every generation wants the next one to succeed. This Ageism Awareness Day, let’s all take a minute to reconsider our preconceived notions. It’s time to tell a new story about aging.

 

Are you caring for an older adult or need help finding healthy aging resources? Our experienced staff is available to help. Visit us online at www.agespan.org. You can also call 800-892-0890 or email info@agespan.org. 

Joan Hatem-Roy is the chief executive officer of AgeSpan, which serves the following cities and towns: Amesbury, Andover, Billerica, Boxford, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dracut, Dunstable, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rowley, Salisbury, Salem, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford, and West Newbury.