Title

Ageism and COVID-19: What does our society’s response say about us?

Authors

Fraser, S., Lagacé, M., Bongué, B., Ndeye, N., Guyot, J., Bechard, L., Garcia, L., Taler, V., Andrew, M., Bayly, M., Bethell, J., Chasteen, A., Elliot, V., Herron, R., Itzhak, I., Kortzman, A., Maxwell, C., Mcgilton, K., Middleton, L., Morgan, D., O’Connell, M., O’Rourke, H., Phillips, N., Pichora-Fuller, M., Wallace, K., Wittich, W., Adam, S., Beaulieu, M., Bergeron, C.D., Boudjemadi, V., Desmette, D., Donizzetti, A.R., Éthier, S., Garon, S., Gillis, M., Levasseur, M., Lortie-Lussier, M., Marier, P., Robitaille, A., Sawchuk, K., Lafontaine, C., Tougas, F.

Publication information

Oxford University Press

Date of Publication

September 2020

Series/Report no.

Age and Ageing 49, 692–695

Key words

ageism, COVID-19, public discourse, long-term care homes, older people

Key Points

• The public discourse during COVID-19 misrepresents and devalues older adults.

• The ageist attitudes circulating during COVID-19 make some people think that the pandemic is an older person problem.

• Intergenerational solidarity is important to maximise the support and connectedness of older adults during COVID-19

Abstract

The goal of this commentary is to highlight the ageism that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 20 international researchers in the field of ageing have contributed to this document. This commentary discusses how older people are misrepresented and undervalued in the current public discourse surrounding the pandemic. It points to issues in

documenting the deaths of older adults, the lack of preparation for such a crisis in long-term care homes, how some ‘protective’ policies can be considered patronising and how the initial perception of the public was that the virus was really an older adult problem. This commentary also calls attention to important intergenerational solidarity that has occurred during this crisis to ensure support and social-inclusion of older adults, even at a distance. Our hope is that with this commentary we can contribute to the discourse on older adults during this pandemic and diminish the ageist attitudes that have circulated.

주요 내용

이 논평의 목표는 COVID-19 대유행 기간 동안 등장한 “연령 차별”을 강조하는 것이다. 노화 분야의 20 명 이상의 국제 연구자들이 연구에 기여했다. 이 논평은 pandemic을 둘러싼 현재 대중 담론에서 노인들이 어떻게 misrepresented and undervalued 되는 지에 대해 논의한다.

ISSN

14682834

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa097