Cornwall ageism survey: what older residents said

A comment that sounds like a harmless joke to one person can land very differently for someone on the receiving end. That gap is at the heart of a new push to tackle ageism in Cornwall, after a survey found a large share of older residents say they have been treated unfairly because of their age.

The figures

The Age Friendly Cornwall survey found that 39% of women and 31% of men over the age of 65 say they have faced discrimination because of their age.

The results were published on Age Without Limits Day, an annual event run by the Centre for Ageing Better. This year the theme is tackling ageism through questions.

“It chips away at confidence”

Councillor Jim McKenna, Portfolio Holder for Adults and Health Partnerships, said the throwaway remarks matter more than people realise.

“Comments which may seem like harmless fun to some people can have a devastating impact on others,” he said.

“It chips away at confidence, shapes decisions, and quietly limits opportunities, in work, health, relationships and community life.”

Joining a UK-wide network

Earlier this year Cornwall Council led an application to join the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities, which serves more than 10 million people across the UK.

The work of Age Friendly Communities is set out by the World Health Organisation and focuses on eight key areas: Community and Health Services, Information and Communication, Social Participation, Civic Participation, Outdoor Spaces, Transport, Respect and Social Inclusion, and Housing.

Jim said joining the network is the start rather than the finish.

“Now we have joined the network of Age Friendly Communities, this is where the hard work begins,” he said.

“Nearly every one of the 8 priorities of an Age Friendly Community is shaped by the assumptions we hold about age.”

He pointed to the county’s changing make-up as the reason it cannot wait.

“We know more than half of Cornwall’s population is expected to be over the age of 50 in the next ten years, so we need to work hard to make this a better place to live well and age well.

“That’s why we are urging people to stand up and take action to tackle ageism here in Cornwall.”

What you can do today

The campaign suggests three small steps anyone can take:

• Catch one ageist comment, yours or someone else’s, and gently question it.
• Bring it up in a team meeting or with friends and family. Awkward is fine. Awkward is how habits break.
• Get curious about Cornwall’s age-friendly work and where you fit into it.

The argument behind all of it is simple. Ageism is learned, which means it can be unlearned, and questioning it is the first step to challenging it.