AARP Hearing Center
Many people are living longer and more vibrant lives.
iStock
Today it is socially unacceptable to ignore, ridicule or stereotype someone based on gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Isn’t it astonishing that there is no such hesitation to do any of these things based on someone’s age?
Especially at a time when so many people are living longer, more vibrant lives, how can ageism go unchallenged?
It cannot, so I am on a mission to “disrupt aging.” I want to confront outdated beliefs and stereotypes and spark new solutions so more people can choose how they want to live and age. We need to fight against the ageist attitudes and perceptions that permeate our society, shape our culture and sometimes contaminate our self-perceptions.
I won’t pretend that we aren’t affected by the aging process — we are. But it’s time to put aging in the proper perspective. Individuals and society most need changing in three areas: health, wealth and self
Member Discounts: Save on eye exams, prescription drugs, hearing aids and more
Health
Health care needs an overhaul. We need an integrated approach that puts well-being at the center of our lives. As I see it, we need four major shifts:
- From a focus on physical and mental decline to physical and mental fitness
- From a primary focus on treatment to a focus on disease prevention, health promotion and well-being
- From being dependent patients to empowered users of health care
- From uncertain access to care to dependable access to care
As we strive to take control of our own health, we begin taking more responsibility for it. We look for better information to make healthier choices, and we search for tools that help us make changes that enhance our physical and mental well-being, not just treat our ailments. That’s disrupting aging.
More From AARP
Social Security Trustees Project Shortfall by 2034
Forecast moves up date when benefits could be cut
House Approves Bill Slashing Health Coverage
Fate of legislation now rests with Senate