Discrimination is something important on our minds here at Unison, both our Kerby Centre and Veiner Centre locations.
We’re devoted to diversity and we believe firmly that no one’s life should be negatively affected by factors they can’t control.
Whether this is gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or ability: all are welcome here.
But what if the discrimination is specific to our clientele?
A form of discrimination we rarely talk about is ageism: the stereotypes, prejudice and discriminatory actions against older adults.
We want people to age in enjoyment and fulfillment. Ageism stands in opposition to that.
Ageism comes in many forms of different severities. It ranges from jokes about a person’s age or having a “senior moment” all the way to the assumption that an older person is incapable of making their own decisions.
A Canadian survey found that 63 per cent of older adults felt that “they had been treated unfairly based on their age.” Most often, the sources of age discrimination were cited as health care professionals, employers and the government.
A common form of ageism are the various stereotypes that exist. Think about how seniors are portrayed often in media and you’ll see plenty. Things like lacking technological skill, being resistant to change, being frail and dependent on others, or even “crochety” and easily frustrated.
I know the seniors that we have at Unison and they can’t be easily categorized like that.
Our seniors range in their interests, personalities and abilities just like any other demographic.
We have seniors who use walkers and we have seniors who play pickleball and dance well into their 90s.
We have seniors who might need extra help with technology, and we have just as many technologically experienced seniors who know much more than I do.
We have seniors who like to golf or play cards or shuffleboard: and we have folks who come with us for axe-throwing, indoor skydiving and learning swordsmanship as part of our Active Aging programs.
Seniors cannot easily fit into a box: they are all individuals and governments, employers and everyone else would do well to remember that.