Attitudes to Ageing

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of age-based attitudes and stereotypes, how they originate and are perpetuated in society, and the challenges and opportunities they present for individuals and the community. It examines intergenerational attitudes (younger to older, older to younger), who is most likely to be affected by age discrimination, and the available evidence on how these attitudes and stereotypes are manifested in the workplace, media, public institutions, the health care system and policy discourses and strategies. It considers the impacts on older people themselves as well as legislative and policy initiatives aimed at developing more constructive views on ageing and older people.