By Karen and Erica

This phrase struck us.

It was uttered by Louise Aronson, a medical expert from UCSF, speaking at a panel discussion sponsored by The Longevity Project. Other participants were Richard Eisenberg of Next Avenue, Paul Irving of the Milken Institute for the Future of Aging, and Ken Stern, Chair of the Longevity Project. You might enjoy watching.

The timely question before the panel was whether agism was intensified by the pandemic. The conclusion was yes. But it makes no sense.

Among the data points discussed:

• Fewer than 3% of older people live in nursing homes but the pandemic has fostered the belief that seventy or eighty percent of older people reside in such places.

• The pandemic has caused some to articulate the view that older people will die soon anyway so it does not matter if they die sooner and therefore there is no need to worry about them.

• The pandemic has caused people to suggest it is wise to avoid being near senior citizens. (Readers know how we feel about that phrase.)

• Ageism is a public health crisis.

• Very little of the training given medical personnel relates to the people who are primary users of their services—older people—or the effects of agism.

• Less than 1% of philanthropy is given to causes addressing aging.

• A great deal of wealth is concentrated in those over 65, yet they are underserved by providers of just about everything.

• Assumptions about health lump together everyone over 65, even though a 65 year old body is nothing like a 105 year old body.

• For that reason among others, it is assumed that people over 65 should be the last to return to work, if they return at all, even though the assumptions about their health may be wrong and the profitability of intergenerational workforces has been proven.

• Why are we not better represented in Congress? Since Claude Pepper’s death—in 1989, over 30 years ago—no-one in Congress has advocated for older people. There is no caucus for people over 65 even though 23% of the electorate will be over 65 for the next election.

This is a pretty crazy picture. We need to own our future. Time to take action, everyone!