The report, ‘That Age Old Question’, by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and the arts charity Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation found around a third of the public (30%) believe “being lonely is just something that happens when people get old”, while a quarter of 18-34 year olds believe it is “normal” for older people to be unhappy and depressed.
The study also found two in five 18-24 year olds (40%) believe there is no way to escape dementia as you get older.
In order to combat this growing sense of ageism, the report calls on employers and the Government to support employee wellbeing and resilience in preparation for later life.
It says that companies and politicians must do more to promote age diversity in the workplace.
The report also recommends an independent review is held into the representation of older people in the media and calls for an end to the use of the term “anti-ageing” in the cosmetics and beauty products.
“Our report shows that ageist attitudes abound in society and have a major impact on the public’s health, and yet they are rarely treated with the seriousness they deserve,” said RSPH Chief Executive Shirley Cramer.
“With more people reaching older age than ever before, it is crucial to act now to promote positive integration across the generations. It is indeed encouraging that the majority of the public still believes that, fundamentally, the old and young have more in common than divides them.
“If we can begin to remove the stubborn barriers that reinforce societal ageism, we can expect many more to look forward to later life as a period of opportunity for growth and new experiences, rather than a set of mental and physical challenges,” added Ms Cramer.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation works to bring about long-term improvements in wellbeing, particularly for the most vulnerable, by creating connections across boundaries in communities, disciplines and sectors.
Andrew Barnett, Director of the charity’s UK branch, said he believes employers are well-placed to play a role in the later lives of their staff. “For the past two years we have been funding pilots of short courses focused on wellbeing for people approaching retirement,” said Mr Barnett.
“Early evaluation has shown an increase in self-confidence, feelings of resourcefulness and more positive attitudes to ageing.
“Employers could certainly benefit from hosting these interventions by increasing the retention and productivity of their workers, as well as an external reputation of being a mindful employer, but also in understanding they are playing their part in supporting healthier and happier later lives in the communities in which they operate.”
The full ‘That Age Old Question’ report can be read and downloaded on the RSPH website.
In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, ‘Burnout, stress and being human’, Heather Beach is joined by Stacy Thomson to discuss burnout, perfectionism and how to deal with burnout as an individual, as management and as an organisation.
We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.
