FORUM: Counteracting Age-based biases drives positive outcomes for all generations

As our population ages, it is critical that older adults are not simply dismissed with stale stereotypes but are valued as productive members of the community.

Experts from the University of Calgary’s Centre on Aging recently facilitated a Forum discussion at the School of Public Policy for students and the public on how ageism manifests in higher education. They showed how age-inclusive policy and practice can improve outcomes for everyone.

To kick off the session, Dr. Chantelle Zimmer, Senior Manager of the Centre provided an overview of the concept of ageism. She stressed that this conversation is timelier within our society than ever.

“This topic is especially important to explore because of demographic changes in age societally,” Zimmer said. “With an ‘aging population’, we need to confront and reexamine how we perceive aging and the contributions of older adults.”

Sharing insights from research conducted across the campus, Zimmer revealed how UCalgary’s Age-Friendly University initiative aims to further our understanding of how age shapes identity and perception, how language can enable ageist biases and how we can form more age-inclusive spaces.

“It’s really about fostering a culture that values individuals of all generations,” she said.

Her presentation led into a fireside chat between Dr. Jayna Holroyd-Leduc, Scientific Director of the Centre on Aging, and Dr. Sandra Davidson, Provost and Vice-President (Academic). They took a deeper dive into how a more age-inclusive culture, and public policies, can generate positive societal outcomes in Canada. These range from improved healthcare protocols to increased economic prosperity.

“We know in Canada that we have a productivity gap,” said Davidson. “We need to consider what talent we are overlooking due to age biases.”

This Forum event was presented in partnership with the School’s READI (Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion) Committee, whose mission is promote inclusive dialogue and advance knowledge on EDIA and Indigenous engagement.

About UCalgary’s Centre for Aging
Based within the O’Brien Institute for Public Health in the Cumming School of Medicine, the Centre on Aging operates as an interdisciplinary, cross-faculty resource. It connects researchers, educators, and clinicians across the University to foster innovation, expand knowledge, strengthen workforce training in the field of aging and share evidence-based insights to help shape policies and practices that affect older adults