Defeating ageism with grace sounds like a plan for our health that’s worth considering. And Anna Bowness-Park does more than consider this plan – she shows us what defeating ageism with grace looks like. Pointing to the societal problem of ageism as one of the most tolerated forms of discrimination in Canada – and many would add Kansas and the US – Anna offers examples of putting grace into action in her April 6, 2015 Vancouver Sun article. The first few paragraphs are below. Please click the link that follows to read the full article.
The recent movie, “The Second Best Marigold Hotel,” stars a cast of my favourite older British actors playing the roles of seniors living in India. To me, like the first movie about the Marigold Hotel, this one is not so much about age as it is about life. Whether it is the cranky but wise Muriel (played by Maggie Smith), hilariously dressing down an American waiter on the proper way to serve tea, or Sonny, the young hotel manager (Dev Patel), whose insecurity about his upcoming nuptials threatens to derail the wedding, it’s life in all its tender, poignant and funny moments that is examined, against a backdrop of the color and vibrancy of India.
It’s a shame, though, that the movie is marketed to the silver tsunami crowd, complete with some subtle jokes on ageing. It could so easily have been a great opportunity to more vigorously confront the problem of ageism in our society, as well as celebrate the innate energy, capabilities and wisdom of people of all ages.
Ageism is the most tolerated form of discrimination in Canada. A poll two years ago found that eight out of ten Canadians believe that seniors aged 75 or older are less important and more ignored than younger generations. Additionally, six out of ten seniors felt they had been treated unfairly because of their age. The report concluded that “ageism is not an old person’s problem, it is a societal problem.”
Click here to read the full article.