Understanding systemic ageism

On this International Day of Older Persons, let’s explore what systemic ageism is, how it manifests, its far-reaching impact, and how HelpAge International is addressing it.

What is systemic ageism?

Systemic ageism is the way different parts of society work together to sustain ageist attitudes, actions or language in laws, policies, practices or culture – affecting people of all ages by shaping perceptions of ageing. It is about the broader systems and structures that shape our thinking and behaviour, rather than individual actions or isolated incidents.

While individual ageist actions are direct and easy to see – like someone making a rude comment about someone because of their age – systemic ageism can be invisible; it is more subtle and embedded in the way society functions. It is woven into our laws, workplace practices, media representations, making it harder to identify and challenge. Systemic ageism reinforces negative stereotypes about ageing, making these attitudes feel normal and acceptable, even when they’re harmful.

Ageist stereotypes and prejudice are rooted in systemic ageism and can only be tackled by addressing social and cultural practices.

Ageism is visible in the language that we use, the actions that we take, and the policies that we make. We see it in physical and verbal abuse of older people, how older age is often negatively represented in culture or discrimination in the workplace.

We also see it in the way that older adults can internalise harmful stereotypes about ageing. This leads to self-directed ageism, where individuals begin to adopt negative attitudes about their own worth and abilities as they age. Such internalisation can affect confidence, well-being, and even the willingness to seek help when needed.

But systemic ageism goes much deeper and is more than just isolated actions but is embedded in our society and culture. Ageism is driven by trends, stereotypes, norms, beliefs, institutions, and other laws and policies that are not necessarily directly related to older people. It is only when we analyse these drivers, we can create campaigns that result in sustainable, impactful change.

Lack of data on older people in official statistics can make them invisible in the development of policy, planning and developing funding priorities. Driven by stereotypes, prejudice and ageist attitudes which diminish the value, voice and contribution of older people in development policy and planning, older people are often excluded through age caps on surveys or a lack of representation of older generations in survey samples.

Forms of systemic ageism

1. Workplace discrimination

Hiring practices: Older applicants are often overlooked in favour of younger candidates, despite having the right skills and experience. Older workers are 2.5 times more likely to be unemployed long-term compared to younger workers according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Promotion and training: Older employees may face barriers to career advancement and access to training opportunities, reinforcing the misconception that they are less capable of adapting to new technologies or roles.
Retirement policies: Mandatory retirement ages can force competent and willing older workers out of the workforce, contributing to financial instability and loss of purpose. Most countries around the world have mandatory retirement ages.

It’s perceived by so many people that older people have no ability to perform their tasks and that they’re outdated.

84-year-old man, Lebanon

2. Healthcare inequities

Access to care: Older people may receive lesser care due to ageist assumptions about their quality of life and potential for recovery.
Medical research: Older people are often underrepresented in clinical trials, leading to gaps in knowledge about effective treatments for age-related conditions.
Mental health: Ageism can lead to the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of mental health issues in older adults, as symptoms are often dismissed as a normal part of ageing.

At times, you get a younger person coming and being attended to before you, yet you came first. When healthcare workers hear you complain you are told, ‘You old woman, stop complaining. We are coming to attend to you.’ When you are told this, you get scared because the elderly are being discriminated [against] and you do not know what this healthcare worker will do.

65-year-old woman, Kenya

3. Media representation

Stereotypes: Older people are frequently depicted as frail, forgetful, and dependent in media, reinforcing negative stereotypes.
Invisibility: There is a lack of diverse and positive portrayals of older people in film, television, and other media, contributing to their social marginalisation.

4. Social services and policy

Funding priorities: Social policies often prioritise younger populations, leading to inadequate funding for services that support older people, such as affordable housing, transportation, and long-term care.
Legal protections: Laws and regulations may fail to adequately protect older people from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Check out the HelpAge International Equality Report.

The concept of justice is for everyone, but oftentimes cultural bias favours the young and the strong over the weak and the worn.

71-year-old man, Philippines

The impact of systemic ageism

Systemic ageism has far-reaching consequences for individuals and for society. It perpetuates social and economic inequalities, undermines the dignity and well-being of older people, and slows down societal progress by marginalising a significant portion of the population. The impact includes:

Economic costs: Excluding older people from the workforce and failing to address their needs can lead to increased healthcare costs, social service expenditures, and lost economic contributions.
Social isolation: Systemic ageism contributes to the isolation and marginalisation of older people, affecting their mental and physical health.
Intergenerational tensions: Unfair policies and practices can foster resentment between generations, undermining social cohesion.

What is HelpAge doing to address systemic ageism?

We advocate for policies that promote age equality and protect the rights of older people in the workplace, healthcare, and other areas.
We raise awareness about ageism through our #OlderNotOver campaign.
We create resources to encourage our partners to tackle systemic ageism in the countries they work, including the Exploring systemic ageism (guide).
We advocate for age, disability and gender-inclusive data to ensure older people aren’t left behind.

Systemic ageism is widespread and hard to recognise. Identifying the visible forms of ageism is a good start, but we also need to look at the invisible forces that are driving the problem. Understanding the forces that enable and perpetuate ageism can help us decide how to tackle it and drive sustainable, long-term change. By treating ageism as a systemic problem, we can achieve a world where we are all treated fairly, with respect and without discrimination in older age.

Please join us in taking a stand against systemic ageism and all the inequalities it creates, by joining our pledge. It is only through collective effort that we can create a world where older people are valued, respected and given equal opportunities to thrive.

#ExposeAgeism

Learn more about challenging ageism and join the fight for dignity and equality for all.