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An examination of the social and economic impacts of ageism

Acknowledgements

Prepared by Dr. Martine Lagacé, Dr. Marcel Mérette, Dr. Julien Navaux and Philippe Rodrigues-Rouleau of the University of Ottawa, for the Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Forum of Ministers Responsible for Seniors. The views expressed in this report may not reflect the official position of a particular jurisdiction.

Executive summary

Ageism is “the stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination against people on the basis of their age” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019). As the number of older adultsFootnote

1 in Canada continues to grow, it is important to address ageism, document its negative effects, educate Canadians about these effects and find ways to counteract it. Promising initiatives are underway, including campaigns from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU). There is a need for further action, especially in Canada, as ageism remains the only type of discrimination perceived as acceptable and socially tolerated (Ayalon & Tesch-Römer, 2018).

This report examines social and economic impacts of ageism through a review of literature to better understand:

• the impacts of ageism related to employmentFootnote
• 2, health and health care, social inclusion, safety and security, media and social media
• initiatives to counteract age-based discrimination against older adults

Sources include academic and non-academic documents (produced by governments and organizations that represent or support older adults) published between 2014 and 2019, available in French or English. Of 346 relevant documents reviewed, 258 are discussed (136 relating to impacts and 122 relating to initiativesFootnote

3). Most documents relating to the impacts of ageism stem from scholarly publications, and the psychosocial impacts of ageism are far more documented than economic impacts. Most studies on the impacts of ageism relate to health, health care, and employment. There has been a marked increase in the number of large empirical studies in the last 5 years.

Main findings from the analysis of the economic impacts of ageism reveal that, until recently, interest in understanding and measuring impacts of ageism was somewhat indirect, driven by concerns related to an aging population and the labour market, rather than ageism. More recent publications point to a deeper understanding that negative consequences of ageism on people’s health and finances ultimately impact society as a whole.

France and the United States (US) are among the few countries that have estimated the economic costs of discrimination. Findings from the French study suggest that a partial elimination of gender- and ethnic-based discrimination would increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by up to 14.1%, improving the fiscal balance of the French government by 5.1% of GDP. Eliminating age discrimination in the labour market is likely to generate significant numbers as well. In the American study, researchers sought to calculate the cost of ageism on health conditions for all persons aged 60 years or older in the US over the course of 1 year. They estimated that exposure to age-based stereotypes and negative self-perceptions of aging aggravated older adults’ medical condition resulting in a 1-year cost of $63 billion. This cost represents 15.4% of US funds spent on 8 medical conditions common to older adults.

Canadian and international initiatives to address ageism, led by governments, older adult organizations and scholars, mostly focus on the dimensions of social inclusion and employment. Interestingly, many initiatives undertaken by governments in Canada and abroad are not labelled under the term “ageism” yet still address, at least indirectly, the negative outcomes of age-based stereotypes and discrimination. For instance, initiatives related to finances and employment designed to increase older worker participation in the labour market or update mature workers’ skills, address ageism indirectly. The same can be said about initiatives to address elder abuse: ageism is often included as one of the factors that needs to be tackled.

Key findings

Findings show how the physical and mental health of older adults suffers from ageist stereotypes. This includes ageist practices of others, such as caregivers and employers. Much of the literature demonstrates how older adults and older workers internalize ageist stereotypes and how this, in turn, can lead them to act in ways that endorse these stereotypes.

Compounded effects of age-based, gender-based and ethnicity-based discrimination put older women and visible minorities at the front of workplace ageism. Increasing documentation on intersections between ageism and other forms of discrimination, especially within the context of work and employment, show that older women, older immigrants and older racialized persons are more likely than others to face ageist stereotypes and discrimination in hiring and training opportunities.

The extent to which ageism is a concern among Indigenous communities in Canada continues to be under-documented.

Governments and organizations that either represent or support older adults account for most initiatives to address ageism. While most of these initiatives have yet to be tested on a large scale, those that combine education with higher levels of intergenerational interaction are shown to be the most promising in changing attitudes.

The literature review shows research is at a turning point in how it looks at the impacts of ageism. While the negative psychosocial impacts of ageism have been widely documented, there is less information on its negative economic impacts. With respect to those psychosocial impacts, the dimensions of health and work account for most of the literature on this subject. Findings on the psychosocial impacts of ageism are paving the way to measuring economic costs.

Introduction and structure of the report

The last 3 decades have seen an increase in research on ageism from academics, governments and policy makers as well as stakeholders and older adults. For example, academics have taken on research demonstrating the negative outcomes of ageism while governments and organizations that represent or support older adults have undertaken initiatives to address ageism. Rapidly aging populations, especially among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, are plausibly a major reason for the interest in better understanding ageism. In addition, the uniqueness and complexity of ageism, when compared to other forms of discrimination such as sexism and racism, call for more research to understand and counter age-based discrimination.

A number of jurisdictions, including federal, provincial, and territorial governments, have undertaken research on ageism to document its impact and develop initiatives to address it.

As part of the FPT Seniors Forum’s 2018 to 2021 work plan, the Forum is examining the social and economic impacts of ageism; promising domestic and international anti-ageism practices; and consulting with stakeholders on the topic. This report is the first deliverable under the ageism priority. It includes a quantitative and qualitative analysis of 258 sample documents, 136 focusing on the impacts of ageism and 122 on initiatives to counteract ageism, as well as an observation and gap analysis.

This report reflects the search and analysis of documents (n = 258) completed from August 23 to November 22, 2019. Appendix A describes each step underlying the search, selection, and analysis of the documents.

This report has 8 sections. Section 1, entitled “Understanding the unique and complex nature of ageism”, describes the different types and expressions of ageism, as well as its changing targets. This section also provides a conceptual filter through which impacts and initiatives related to ageism can be better understood. Section 2 offers an overview of preliminary findings related to psychosocial and economic impacts of ageism. Sections 3 and 4 describe main findings on the psychosocial and economic impacts of ageism. Section 5 includes an overview of initiatives undertaken to counter ageism, in Canada and abroad. Section 6 looks at how initiatives put in place to address ageism build on evidence-based impacts. Section 7 addresses the gaps in research on the impacts of ageism and offers potential responses to such gaps. Finally, Section 8 summarizes key findings related to the impacts of ageism, as well as initiatives to address it.