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STORY: WHO / AGEING DISCRIMINATION
TRT: 2:27
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 29 SEPTEMBER 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE – WHO – NOVEMBER 2011, SWITZERLAND
1. Various shots, physical activities
29 SEPTEMBER 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. SOUNDBITE (English) John Beard, Director of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Ageism is very widespread and recent analysis we have done have shown 60% of people around the world believe that older people are not respected. Interestingly, those figures are higher in high-income countries, where people believe that older people receive less respect then even in low income countries.”
FILE – WHO – NOVEMBER 2011, SWITZERLAND
3. Various shots, computer training
29 SEPTEMBER 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
4. SOUNDBITE (English) John Beard, Director of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization (WHO):
“We really have to put an end to ageism. Ageism is pervasive and influences the way we think about the way it is to be an older person, it influences the way policy makers ask the questions they ask about how they might respond to populations ageing and it even influence the way that we as individuals plan our own lives and the older people that we become.”
FILE – WHO – NOVEMBER 2011, SWITZERLAND
5. Med shot, computer training
29 SEPTEMBER 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
6. SOUNDBITE (English) John Beard, Director of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Ageism has many health effects and probably the most marked is that people who have negative attitudes about themselves and about their lives can expect to leave seven and a half less than those who have more positive ideas.”
FILE – WHO – AUGUST 2015, VIETNAM
7. Wide shot, physical activities
8. Close up, old man at blood pressure consultation
9. Tilt up, nurse preparing blood pressure test
10. Close up, blood pressure devise
29 SEPTEMBER 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
11. SOUNDBITE (English) John Beard, Director of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization (WHO):
“The biggest impact is that people who have negative stereotypes of what it is to be old, tend to live those negative stereotypes. They engage less, they are less active, they eat worse and all of those things add to have an impact on many aspects of their lives, including how long they live.”
FILE – WHO – SEPTEMBER 2008, FRANCE
12. Various shots, integrated approach diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease
New analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that negative or ageist attitudes towards older people are widespread. They also negatively affect older people’s physical and mental health.
Fully 60% of respondents in the WHO World Values Survey reported that older people are not respected. More than 83,000 people in 57 countries took part in the survey which assessed attitudes to older people across all age groups. The lowest levels of respect were reported in high income countries.
Speaking in Geneva today (29 Sep), WHO’s Dr. John Beard said “interestingly, those figures are higher in high-income countries, where people believe that older people receive less respect then even in low income countries.”
Negative attitudes about ageing and older people also have significant consequences for the physical and mental health of older adults. Older people who feel they are a burden perceive their lives to be less valuable, putting them at risk of depression and social isolation. Recently published research shows that older people who hold negative views about their own ageing, do not recover as well from disability and live on average 7.5 years less than people with positive attitudes.
Beard stressed, “We really have to put an end to ageism. Ageism is pervasive and influences the way we think about the way it is to be an older person, it influences the way policy makers ask the questions they ask about how they might respond to populations ageing and it even influence the way that we as individuals plan our own lives and the older people that we become.”
According to WHO, by 2025 the number of people aged 60 and over will double, and by 2050 will reach 2 billion globally, with the vast majority of older people living in low and middle income countries.
Beard said “the biggest impact is that people who have negative stereotypes of what it is to be old, tend to live those negative stereotypes. They engage less, they are less active, they eat worse and all of those things add to have an impact on many aspects of their lives, including how long they live.”
He added “ageism has many health effects and probably the most marked is that people who have negative attitudes about themselves and about their lives can expect to leave seven and a half less than those who have more positive ideas.”
The International Day of Older Persons, celebrated on 1 October, highlights the important contributions that older people make to society and raises awareness of the issues and challenges of ageing in today’s world. The theme for 2016, Take a Stand Against Ageism, urges everyone to consider ageism and the detrimental impact it has on older people.
