09-25-2024 Primetime - Flipbook - Page 7
A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, September 25, 2024
of organizations that focus on aging. They
get together because they have common missions and audiences, and, consequently, common issues with policies
that don’t necessarily address their constituencies.
“What’s holding us back,” D’Antonio
says, “is policy. Today, for instance, we
focus on caregiving. Too often, despite
a need for caregiving and caregivers, it
would be eliminated from a bill after they
had reached an understanding. We need
to recognize how these policies benefit all
of us as we age. And this would benefit
more than those over 65. It would help
the sandwich generation: adults who are
raising their own children and, at the same
time, taking care of their parents, so they
are caught in the middle. Now add in a
communication problem, describing this
as ‘us versus them,’ and you have ageism in a nutshell. Once, we were young.
Eventually, we will live long enough to
be old (we hope). This needs to be allencompassing, all-inclusive.”
We also need to have integrative programs, young and old together. For years
I taught at a university with the average
age of students between 26 and 28,
many of whom were returning adults who
wanted to finish an undergraduate degree
or to complete a master’s, so classes
would have people of all ages. In addition, the University System of Maryland
offers adults over 60 a “golden ticket”
that allows them to take classes for free
at any of its universities. You’ll find that
professors appreciate having students of
different ages in their classes as I did. It
broadens discussions and adds history
and additional experiences, all valuable to
students’ education.
Homeshare UK (homeshareuk.org),
whose tagline is “Our lives get better when
they’re shared,” “enables two people to
share a home for mutual benefit. Typically,
an older person living in their own home
with a room to spare will be carefully
matched with a younger person who will
provide an agreed amount of support
in exchange for good quality, affordable
accommodation,” according to its website.
You can also volunteer at a non-profit
that addresses issues with younger generations – or other generations. Maybe
you’re in your 50s and will work with
those in their 90s. Imagine what you could
learn. When I was a teen, I volunteered at
what was then called an “old age home.”
It was fascinating to meet the residents.
Even today, I meet young people who
revel in connecting with seniors in their
80s and 90s. They love the stories; they
love the interactions. That also helps them
age gracefully and, yes, stops them from
discriminating against older adults, also
known as ageism.
Where to start to educate yourself?
NCRA has a series of two-minute videos
under the heading Words Matter that bring
ageism to life. The first, Frame of Mind:
The Why and How of Reframing Aging,
can be found at www.youtube.com/@
ReframingAging. You can also go to the
link next to Videos and click on Play All.
As you watch the ones titled “Changing
the Conversation,” you’ll hear how your
own voice echoes ageism. As mentioned
above, we perpetrate ageism in how we
speak, so we, too, need to be educated.
Think about emulating Joann M.
Montepare, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Rosemary
B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging
and Intergenerational Studies at Lasell
College. She is an advocate of intergenerational teaching and learning, and
developed the “Talk of Ages” program at
Lasell for integrating aging content and
intergenerational activities into college
classes.
Are you a member of a group? Could
you invite people from different generations to join you? Could you reach out to
universities or colleges or community colleges (we have a lot here) to create a class
like Montepare for both seniors and young
adults? Think about subjects that participants could discuss, and you have a syllabus. Reach out to others who do intergenerational classes and ask if they would
share their ideas. We make assumptions
about other generations. Wouldn’t it be
better to actually see and hear and talk
Eliminating ageism,
continued on page 18
Join us for an exciting
celebration of older adults
thriving in Baltimore City!
Enjoy complimentary food and refreshments, engaging
conversations, extensive resources, prizes and giveaways, as
well as presentations by community leaders. Do not miss this
unique opportunity to learn, connect, and explore. We can’t
wait to see you there!
2024 SUMMIT THEMES
Mental Health
Healthcare
The summit is free to attend, and complimentary transportation services are
available. Visit our website for more information.
September 26
Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor
Heart Health
401 West Pratt Street, Baltimore
7
OlderAdultsBaltimore.com
