Do you think our society is ageist?

Without any doubt whatsoever - and it's shameful!

by Sandy Ludinski

Very.

by Vee

Wow, I didn't even know ageism was a phenomenon. I seriously don't have a clue. My father is past the retirement age but he has managed to find a job. If theyvare discriminated against in certain situations as you have pointed out, they are also given more respect in other situations in my experience. I am not sure if I know the answer ro this one.

by Happy Mom

Absolutely, anyone over thirsty is 'no longer in their prime'. Over fifty? You're probably 'losing your wits'. Over sixty? You're probably not 'fit to drive anymore'. It's wrong and sad.

by DamienR

given that the baby boomers are well and truly in retirement age, why is this not changing and why is the well heeled, educated and wise older community not standing up to the younger force...wonder if it will ever changes as it has in other cultures

LOL.
I just turned 60, and I would say I have been invisible for the past few years.
It happens, and older people are looked at as not as important.
It is all geared up for the young.
I even have people call me ''sweetie'' or ''dear''...which I may say to me is just plain rude.
Little do they know what I do for a job....where thank goodness it is mainly for mature people, with life skills.
We seem to think youth is the number one key to success, well many older
people have a great deal of wisdom, that you have to earn through years of hard hard work, and many up's and downs life throws at you.That is 'priceless'!

by jonaja

Even the Queen is taking second place here.

Yes. I detest how older folks are just pushed aside when they reach a certain age. I love listening to the wisdom on the older people. I have learnt so much from them

by Gia

After spending some time in the last few weeks with my Mother in hospital I would say by some individuals "yes". Not all but some medical professionals seem to operate on the assumption that just because the body is aging and not operating as it once did that you also lose the ability to think for yourself.

by Shelley Murphy

Yes, of course it is.

I do voluntary work as I am too old to get a paid job -probably do not really want one as this way I do things I would not do if I were being paid!

However I believe it is a general problem that once you hit 50, it is difficult.

This is quite stupid as I find with my staff at work that the older ones are far more reliable -less sick days, less phoning the morning of a shift when they have obviously found something better to do.

We understand commitment more as we age.

by Finy

Older people are more reliable as employees because we know how hard it is to get a job because we are over 50. It is not worth losing a job that it has taken months to obtain, just because you do not feel like going into work that particular morning.
My problem is that not only am I over 50, but also physically disabled (and therefore obviously intellectually disabled), and since it is so difficult for me to get a job, the few times I have had work,I was more reliable and never took sick days, than when I was younger and felt far more secure.

It is a crime against the people who worked to build this great nation to be ignored for any employment opportunities. I achieved 96 percent for my project management results but could not even get a call back from a company when I offered to work for free in exchange for experience in that field.
One honest person from a recruitment company went so far as to state to my friend who tried to bring some influence to the table that the company could not risk putting old people forward in case it damaged the relationship with the employer.
I established corporate results that exceeded any in the company’s history and as far as I am aware have not been beaten since. Past 50 years of age I was tossed on the waste heap. What this new generation of young middle management have established will all too soon be their own future.
Tony Abbott has established a policy to force people to work until 70 years of age. Thanks for that Tony but where are they going to work?

by kstew

Our society is definitely ageist. People are quick to judge according to the age they perceive someone to be. It is expected you will behave in a particular way because of your age too.

by Marie Vonow

Not neccessarily. I think a lot of young people are looked down on by the older generations as they see them as not having much experience.

by Maria