Quick Links

Virtual Town Hall
What is Ageism
Books about Ageism & Aging
Videos, Podcasts & Webinars about Ageism and Aging
Anti-Ageism Campaigns and Community Engagement
California For All Ages Digital Toolkit

Equity in Aging Resource Center

California For All Ages

Welcome to the California Department of Aging’s campaign to combat ageism and promote equity!

California for All Ages Virtual Town Hall on Combatting Ageism & Promoting Equity

Did you miss the "California for All Ages" Virtual Town Hall on Combatting Ageism and Promoting Equity? You can check out the video recording and presentation slides below to catch up.

Our Virtual Town Hall featured the following expert panelists:

Shireen McSpadden, San Francisco Human Services Agency
Janet Spears, Metta Fund
Kate Kuckro, Community Living Campaign
Kelly Dearman, San Francisco In Home Support Services Public Authority

View presentation

Stay tuned for details about CDA’s "Ensuring Equity in Aging" webinar series this fall, which will feature partners serving diverse communities of older adults, people with disabilities, and families across California. Visit our Equity in Aging Resource Center for videos, articles, tools and other resources about equity, equality, and aging.

4 older men and woman standing next to each other with arms around each other smiling

What is Ageism?

Ageism is when someone treats you unfairly, or discriminates against you, based on your age.

Examples of ageism include losing your job, being denied a promotion at work, receiving lower quality services, being refused medical care, or people making assumptions about your abilities because of your age. Ageism is a systemic issue and includes the attitudes that people have toward aging.

It’s important that we combat ageism so that no one misses out on opportunities because of their age. The first step to challenging ageism and ageist assumptions is to learn about ageism, including your own internal biases and attitudes.

View the links below to learn about ageism and to find resources that will help you to be a part of the solution to ageism! Together, we can build a California for All Ages!

A list of ageism resources
Resource	Description	Link
World Health Organization Ageing and Life Course	Access aging resources from the World Health Organization	https://www.who.int/ageing/en/
World Health Organization (WHO)	Take the WHO’s Ageing Attitudes Quiz	https://www.who.int/ageing/features/attitudes-quiz/en/
American Society on Aging	The American Society on Aging’s ageism resources	https://www.asaging.org/blog/pernicious-problem-ageism
American Psychological Association	Fighting ageism: Geropsychologists are striving to stop negative age stereotypes and meet the growing mental health needs of older adults.	https://www.apa.org/monitor/may03/fighting
Old School	Old School is an anti-ageism resource clearinghouse	https://oldschool.info/
Changing the Narrative	Access changing the narrative’s downloadable Ageism Fact Sheet	https://changingthenarrativeco.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Ageism-Facts-and-Stats_LB_05.30.18.pdf
Aging for Life	Aging for Life is helping America become more informed, engaged, and conscious about aging.	https://www.agingforlife.org/
AARP Ageism Articles	Collection of AARP articles on ageism	https://search.aarp.org/gss/everywhere?q=Ageism&intcmp=DSO-SRCH-EWHERE
AARP	Research Article: Hispanic Attitudes Toward Aging	https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2019/hispanic-aging-attitudes.html
AARP + Refinery 29	Article: How Ageism Impacts Women	https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/how-ageism-really-affects-women
Senior Planet	Senior Planet harnesses technology to change aging through courses, programs, and activities to help older adults learn new skills, save money, get in shape, and make new friends.	https://seniorplanet.org/
SF Senior Beat	San Francisco Senior Beat smashes ageist stereotypes by sharing stories from SF’s vibrant and diverse population of older adults.	https://sfseniorbeat.com/
National Resource Center on LGBT Aging	National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is a project of SAGE. The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is the country's first and only technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender older adults.	https://www.lgbtagingcenter.org/resources/index.cfm?s=1
B Stigma-Free	B Stigma-Free is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to reducing stigma, bias and prejudice.	https://bstigmafree.org/fast-facts-ageism/
The Antidefamation League	Understanding & Challenging Ageism lesson plan	https://www.adl.org/sites/default/files/documents/understanding-and-challenging-ageism_1.pdf
Diverse Elders Coalition	Diverse Elders Coalition’s Aging & Ageism Blog	https://www.diverseelders.org/2016/01/19/growing-older-together-queer-people-of-color-and-aging/
Next Avenue	Article: Aging While Black	https://www.nextavenue.org/aging-while-black/
The Eden Alternative	In a culture that typically views aging as a period of decline, the Eden Alternative philosophy asserts that no matter how old we are or what challenges we live with, life is about continuing to grow.	https://www.edenalt.org/about-the-eden-alternative/
Yale University	Find out how ageism may add billions to health costs	https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2018/ageism-health-cost.html
Generations United & The Eisner Foundation	Report: I Need You, You Need Me: The Young, the Old, and What We Can Achieve Together	https://www.gu.org/app/uploads/2018/05/SignatureReport-Eisner-INeedYou-Executive-Summary.pdf

Older adult woman and man reading a children’s book to child on their lap, all smiling

Books about Ageism & Aging

A list of books about ageism
Resource	Description	Link
Ashton Applewhite	This Chair Rocks by Ashton Applewhite	https://thischairrocks.com/
Louise Aranson	Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimaging Life by Louise Aronson	https://louisearonson.com/books/elderhood/
Margaret Morganroth Gullette	Ending Ageism, or How Not to Shoot Old People by Margaret Morganroth Gullette	https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/ending-ageism
Margaret Morganroth Gullette	Agewise: Fighting the New Ageism in America by Margaret Morganroth Gullette	https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/A/bo10385719.html
Margaret Morganroth Gullette	Aged By Culture by Margaret Morganroth Gullette	https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/A/bo3625122.html
Atul Gawande	Being Mortal by Atul Gawande	http://atulgawande.com/book/being-mortal/

Two older adult men standing next to each other

Videos, Podcasts & Webinars about Ageism and Aging

A list of videos, podcasts and webinars
Resource	Description	Link
Ashton Applewhite	TedTalk: Let’s End Ageism	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfjzkO6_DEI
GeriPal Podcast	Geripal: A Geriatrics & Palliative Care Blog & Podcast	https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuqH32jtgFwqJ8jYoQbQgdQ
Louise Aranson	TedMed Talk: Embracing elderhood as a stage of life	https://www.tedmed.com/talks/show?id=771254
BreakingPrejudice.org	Short video featuring Millennials and older adults humorously dispelling myths about aging	http://breakingprejudice.org/teaching/video-clips/ageism/millennials-and-ageism.html
California Department of Aging	Older Californians Month: Make Your Mark! Campaign playlist Videos made by older Californians sharing the myriad ways they’re making their mark during COVID-19.	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwJC4IGv0WI&list=PLXexWQOeFtkZPxajFl5mJOC9WVj7GmeYZ

older adult man speaking to teenage boy, both sitting

Anti-Ageism Campaigns and Community Engagement

Campaigns combatting ageism have taken place around the globe. Below are just a selected few for that inspire ways we can come together to appreciate people of all ages and celebrate their contributions to family, community, and society.

A list of ageism campaingns and community engagement resources
Resource	Description	Link
Reframing Aging San Francisco	This campaign is not only about serving older adults, but empowering them and our entire City to recognize their value within our community," stated Shireen McSpadden, Executive Director of the Department of Aging and Adult Services.	https://endageism.com/
Age Strong Boston	The Age Strong Public Awareness campaign sparks dialogue on ageism with the goal to help older adults be seen for their rich, dynamic experiences and contributions	https://www.boston.gov/departments/age-strong-commission/how-do-you-age-strong
AARP: Disrupt Aging	Disrupt Aging is a place to have a new conversation — often funny, sometimes raw, always honest — about how we want to live and age. #DisruptAging	https://www.aarp.org/disrupt-aging/about-us/
Frameworks Institute: Reframing Aging	The FrameWorks Institute is a nonprofit research organization that helps mission-driven organizations build public will for progressive change	http://frameworksinstitute.org/reframing-aging.html You can join the conversation on Twitter at #ReFramingAging
Ageing Equal	The #AgeingEqual campaign is the first European-wide effort to raise awareness that human rights do not diminish with age. It calls for equal rights at all ages and raise awareness of the harmful consequences of ageism.	https://ageing-equal.org/learn-about-ageism/
Pass It On Network	A coalition of encore leaders and organizations providing resources, visibility and connections	https://www.passitonnetwork.org/
National Council of Gray Panther Networks	The Gray Panthers is a multi-generational advocacy network in the United States which confront ageism and many other social justice issues	https://www.facebook.com/NationalCouncilofGrayPanthersNetworks/
BE BOLD, CLAIM OLD	BE BOLD, CLAIM OLD is a national campaign to raise awareness around pervasive ageism in our society. It’s a powerful call to action for each person to embrace and celebrate every age, not just the gold standard of "youth."	https://www.beboldclaimold.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6EC5x23HR8

California For All Ages Digital Toolkit

Visit our online social press kit for more sample posts and simple one-click posting to your social media accounts.

Social Media Handles & Hashtags

Tag CDA! @CaliforniaAging on Facebook and @CalAging on Twitter
Use the Campaign Hashtags:
#CaliforniaForAllAges #EndAgeism

Sample Social Media Posts

Ageism is unfair treatment or discrimination based on age. It can cause someone to lose a job, be denied a promotion, receive bad customer service, be refused medical care, or be judged impaired. Learn more about how to #endageism here. https://aging.ca.gov/California_For_All_Ages/#ageism-video-podcasts-webinars
If you are not already disadvantaged by prejudice, just wait a couple of decades. You will be. Unlike other forms of discrimination, ageism effects everyone fortunate enough to grow old. Learn more about how to #endageism here. https://aging.ca.gov/California_For_All_Ages/#ageism-video-podcasts-webinars
Aging is biological and cultural. We can all decide how age is valued and it starts with accepting and celebrating every age. Check out this TED talk on getting older and ending ageism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfjzkO6_DEI #CaliforniaForAllAges #EndAgeism
Imagine if we accepted and celebrated people of all ages. Learn more at aging.ca.gov #CaliforniaForAllAges #EndAgeism

Use These Digital Logos and Graphics

California For All Ages logo