So you get little jabs from your younger friends about getting old; your grandchildren call you “granny” and your kids don’t ask for your advice as often as they used to. Then you go out in the community and you become invisible, people don’t acknowledge you or worse, they try to “help” you! Ageism, ah, alive and well. These are all humorous and true stories, however, in an article published in the Yale News, January 15, 2020, they have identified the harmful effects of ageism on older persons when it relates to health.

The study found evidence that ageism harms the health of older people in 45 countries and across 5 continents. The study also found that ageism adversely affected whether or not older patients received medical treatment and if they received the treatment, the duration, frequency and appropriateness of the treatment provided. Wow, that’s compelling!