Advertisement
Research article| Volume 25, ISSUE 3, SUPPLEMENT 2, 164-171, October 2003

Challenging aging stereotypes

Strategies for creating a more active society

      Abstract

      Background

      The myths of aging provide a partial explanation for why older people have not been primary targets for health promotion and disease-prevention programs. Accelerated population aging signals an urgent need for increased attention to health promotion and disease-prevention interventions across the entire life course.

      Objective

      The purpose of this article is to review what is known about: (1) the prevalence and nature of ageist stereotypes; (2) the varied ways in which ageist stereotypes are harmful to health, functioning, and well-being; and (3) strategies for effective communication with older adults around lifestyle issues, with particular emphasis on physical activity.

      Method

      This article reviews literature on current myths and reality of aging in the context of designing health promotion programs for older adults. Strategies for combating ageist stereotypes are based on a multilevel view of determinants of health and aging.

      Conclusions

      Ageist stereotypes are pervasive in U.S. society and harmful to older adults' psychological well-being, physical and cognitive functioning, and survival. Concrete strategies for communicating with older adults can increase the effectiveness of health promotion programs. Strategies for combating ageism and creating a healthier society must address all segments of society, and include educational and media campaigns, an expansion of current research foci, greater sensitivity from care providers, more opportunities for intergenerational linkages, the design of productive roles for older adults, a retrofit of the built environment, and intensified and collaborative action from both the public and private sectors.
      To read this article in full you will need to make a payment

      Purchase one-time access:

      Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online access
      One-time access price info
      • For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
      • For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'

      Subscribe:

      Subscribe to American Journal of Preventive Medicine
      Already a print subscriber? Claim online access
      Already an online subscriber? Sign in
      Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect

      References

      1. Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics. Older Americans 2000: key indicators of well-being. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000

      2. Administration on Aging. A profile of older Americans: 2002. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002. Available at: http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/prof/statistics/profile/profiles2002.asp

      3. Binstock RH. Issues of resource allocation in an aging society. In: Hickey T, Speers M, Prohaska T, eds. Public health and aging. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1997:53–72

      4. Smeeding T, Butler RN, Schaber G, eds. The consequences of population aging for society. Workshop report. New York: International Longevity Center, 2000. Available at: http://www.ilcusa.org

      5. Hickey T. Speers M. Prohaska T. Public health and aging. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore1997
      6. Maddox G. The encyclopedia of aging. Vols. 1 and 2. Springer Publishing Co, New York2000
      7. National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 1999. With health and aging chart book. Hyattsville MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999

      8. Ory M.G. DeFriese G.H. Self care in later life. Springer Publishing Co, New York1998
        • National Research Council
        Preparing for an aging world: the case for cross-national research. Panel on a research agenda and new data for an aging world, committee on population, committee on national statistics.
        National Academy Press, Washington DC2001
      9. Maddox GL. The behavioral and social dynamics of aging well. In: Smedley BD, Syme SL, eds. Promoting health: intervention strategies from social and behavioral research. Washington DC: National Academy Press, 2000:322–36

        • Butler R.N.
        Ageism.
        Gerontologist. 1969; 9: 243-246
      10. Butler RN. Ageism. In: Maddox GL, ed. The encyclopedia of aging. Vol. 1: A–L. New York: Springer Publishing, 2000:38–9

      11. Butler RN. Written testimony for United States Senate special committee on aging. Hearing on the image of aging in media and marketing, September 2002. The Image of Aging in Media and Marketing. Hearing before the special committee on aging United States Senate 107th Congress, 2nd Session, Washington DC, September 4, 2002. Serial no. 107–35

      12. Riley MW, Foner A, Riley J. Aging and society pardigm. In: Bengston VL, Scaie KW, eds. Handbook of theories of aging. New York: Springer Publishing, 1999:327–43

      13. Cook FL. Age stereotype. In: Maddox GL, ed. The encyclopedia of aging. Vol. 1: A–L. New York: Springer Publishing, 2000:45–6

      14. Levy BR, Hausdorff, Hencke R, Wei JY. Reducing cardiovascular stress with positive self-stereotypes of aging. J Gerontol 2000;55:205–13

        • Palmore E.B.
        Ageism: negative and positive.
        2nd ed. Springer Publishing, New York1999
      15. Cutler NE, Whitelaw NW, Beattie BL. American perceptions of aging in the 21st century. Washington DC: National Council on the Aging, 2002

        • Binstock R.H.
        Changing criteria in old-age programs.
        Gerontologist. 1994; 34: 726-730
      16. Kane RL. The public health paradigm. In: Hickey T, Speers M, Prohaska T, eds. Public health and aging. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1997:3–16

      17. National Center for Health Statistics. Early release of selected estimates based on data from first quarter 2002. Hyattsville MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs

        • Rowe J.W.
        • Kahn R.L.
        Successful aging.
        Pantheon Books, New York1998
        • Manton K.G.
        • Corder L.
        • Stallard E.
        Chronic disability trends in elderly United States populations: 1982–1994.
        Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1994; 94: 2593-2598
        • Manton K.G.
        • XiLiang G.
        Changes in the prevalence of chronic disability in the United States black and nonblack population above age 65 from 1982 to 1999.
        Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001; 98: 6354-6359
      18. The Image of Aging in Media and Marketing. Hearing before the special committee on aging United States Senate 107th Congress, 2nd Session, Washington DC, September 4, 2002. Serial no. 107–35

        • Snyder R.
        Ageism in advertisement.
        J Active Aging. 2002; 1: 12-15
      19. Gardner M. This view of seniors just doesn't “ad” up. Christian Science Monitor, January 15, 2003:14

        • Guigliano R.P.
        • Camargo C.A.
        • Lloyd-Jones D.M.
        • Zagrodsky J.D.
        Elderly patients receive less aggressive medical and invasive management of unstable angina.
        Arch Intern Med. 1998; 158: 1113-1120
        • Lewis J.H.
        • Kilgore M.L.
        • Goldman D.P.
        • et al.
        Participation of patients 65 years of age or older in cancer clinical trials.
        J Clin Oncol. 2003; 21: 1383-1389
        • Adelman R.D.
        • Greene M.G.
        • Ory M.G.
        Communication between older patients and their physicians.
        Clin Geriatr Med. 2000; 16: 1-24
      20. Palmore EB. Ageism in Canada and the United States. Durham NC: Duke University Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Fall 2002 (Vol. 22)

      21. Smith M. Ageism widespread in Canada, U.S.? CARPnews, June 2002

        • Levy B.R.
        Improving memory in old age by implicit self-stereotyping.
        J Personality Soc Psychol. 1996; 71: 1092-1107
        • Levy B.R.
        • Slade M.D.
        • Kasl S.V.
        Longitudinal benefit of positive self-perceptions of aging on functional health.
        J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2002; 57: 409-417
        • Levy B.R.
        • Slade M.D.
        • Kunkel S.R.
        • Kasl S.V.
        Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging.
        J Personality Soc Psychol. 2002; 83: 261-270
      22. Ory MG, Abeles RP, Lipman, eds. Aging, health and behavior. Newbury Park CA: Sage, 1992

      23. Ory MG, Cox DM, Gift HC, Abeles RP. Aging and quality of life: celebrating new research discoveries. In: Abeles RP, Gift HC, Ory MG, Cox D, eds. Aging and quality of life: charting new territories in behavioral sciences research. New York: Springer Publishing, 1994:1–18

        • Ory M.G.
        • Cox D.M.
        Forging ahead.
        Soc Indicators Res. 1994; 33: 89-120
      24. Kaplan GA, Strawbridge WJ. Behavioral and social factors in healthy aging. In: Abeles RP, Gift HC, Ory MG, Cox D, eds. Aging and quality of life: charting new territories in behavioral sciences research. New York: Springer Publishing, 1994:57–78

        • King A.C.
        • Rejeski W.J.
        • Buchner D.M.
        Physical activity interventions targeting older adults.
        Am J Prev Med. 1998; 15: 316-333
      25. Fiatrone MA, O’Neill EF, Ryan ND, et al. Exercise training and nutritional supplementation for physical frailty in very elderly patients. N Engl J Med 1990;330:1769–75

        • Jette A.M.
        • Lachman M.
        • Giorgetti M.M.C.
        • et al.
        Exercise—it's never too late.
        Am J Public Health. 1999; 89: 66-72
        • Anderson R.T.
        • Ory M.G.
        • Cohen S.
        • McBride J.S.
        Contexts of aging and issues in older adults' adherence to health interventions.
        Control Clin Trials. 2000; 21: 171-183
        • Ory M.G.
        • Lipman P.D.
        • Karlen P.L.
        • et al.
        Recruitment of older participants in frailty/injury prevention studies.
        Prevention Sci. 2002; 3: 1-22
      26. International Longevity Center-USA, Ltd. A national crisis: the need for geriatrics faculty training and development. Toward functional independence in old age. New York: International Longevity Center-USA, 2001. Available at: http://www.ilcusa.org/_lib/pdf/health.pdf

      27. Barnes D. Experience corps lets senior volunteers “give back.” Washington Times, February 28, 2002. Available at: http://www.experiencecorps.org/site/stories/whats_new/news.html. Accessed December 1, 2002

      28. Partnership for Prevention. Creating communities for active aging. Washington DC, 2001. Available at: http://www.prevent.org

      29. Bush GW. Healthier US: the president's health and fitness initiative. Executive summary. Washington DC: USGPO, 2002. Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/fitness/execsummary.html.

      30. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical activity and older Americans: benefits and strategies. June 2002. Available at: http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/activity.htm. Accessed December 1, 2002

      31. Crankshaw E, Rabiner D, O'Keeffe J. An overview of programs and initiatives sponsored by DHHS to promote healthy aging: a background paper for the blueprint on aging for the 21st century technical advisory group meeting. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, January 29, 2003

      32. Administration on Aging. USA on the move: steps to healthy aging. Available at: http://www.aoa.gov/otm/index.asp. Accessed December 1, 2002

        • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
        National blueprint for increasing physical activity among adults 50 and older.
        J Aging Physical Activity. 2000; 9: 5-28
      33. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Call for proposal. Active for Life®: increasing physical activity in adults age 50 and older, 2001. Available at: http://www.Activeforlife.info. Accessed January 1, 2003

      34. Butler RN, Nyberg JP. The need for greater representation of older adults in clinical trials. New York: International Longevity Center-USA, 2001. Available at: http://www.ilcusa.org/_lib/pdf/clinicaltrialsib.pdf

      35. Jette AM. Assessing disability in studies on physical activity. Am J Prev Med 2003;25(suppl):122–8

      36. Guralnik JM, Ferrucci L. Assessing the building blocks of function: utilizing measures of functional limitation. Am J Prev Med 2003;25(suppl):112–21