We bang on about mindsets all the time here at Switched ON Living, so just to make the case for the power of a positive attitude for the hundredth time, here’s something startling.

On average, older adults with a positive image of ageing live over seven years longer than those with an adverse outlook.

That’s according to Dr Regina Koepp. Dr Regina is a clinical psychologist and gerontologist and the founder of the Center for Mental Health and Aging.

In this introductory and engaging video, Dr Regina asks two really basic but important questions that all of us aged over 50 need to know – what exactly is ageism and how does it affect the mental health of older adults?

The definition that Dr Regina offers us comes from the US Psychological Association: “ …stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups based on their age. It can include prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory practices, or institutional policies and practices that perpetuate stereotypical beliefs.”

In practice, Dr Regina says that ageism takes many forms. The most aggressive is hostile ageism, such as financial exploitation or physical or sexual abuse.

Neglectful ageism overlooks the contributions made by older people to their families and communities and includes instances such as taking for granted the care of grandchildren.

Dr Regina says the trickiest form of ageist discrimination is benevolent ageism. This is where we have the best intentions, but our lack of awareness and / or understanding means we reinforce negative stereotypes or create unintended problems.

The COVID example Dr Regina uses to illustrate benevolent ageism is very familiar to the Switched ON Community. We’re forever remonstrating against traditional, passive retirement and its assumption that all of us aged over 50 are alike, and worse, that we’re past it.

Hello! Some of us are Switched ON. Some of us are at the peak of our powers. Some of us have plans and dreams that we fully intend to realise in the decades of healthy living that we have ahead of us.

It’s easy to envisage when Dr Regina tells us that a US study found ageism costs up to US$63 billion a year and accounts for the top eight most expensive medical and mental health conditions.

The financial cost of ageism is a scandal, but the human costs are both horrifying and deeply tragic. Sadly, older adults with ageist attitudes suffer from mental illnesses such as PTSD, Alzheimer’s, thoughts of suicide and significant anxiety at rates that are much higher than for those with an upbeat demeanour.

As for fighting ageism, our first defence is self-awareness and recognising ageism when we see it, either when we’re the victim or it’s perpetrated on our loved ones.

Dr Regina’s second piece of advice comes straight out of the Switched ON Living playbook. She calls it shifting our focus; we call it our Switched ON Living mindset.

Whatever we call it, the intention is the same, to acknowledge that ageism and passive retirement are different dimensions to the same problem – they’re both a form of conscious or unconscious bias that seek to constrain the lives and ambitions of people aged over 50.

To know more about Dr Regina and her insights about ageism and mental health, visit her web site where you can access her excellent content and read her comprehensive list of reference material.
https://www.drreginakoepp.com/