Giving Compass' Take:

• The Framing Institute provides details about how to shift policies and mindsets about aging and the aging population. 

• How can we work harder to call out ageism when it happens in everyday life? How will this contribute to reducing the stigma in society? 

• Read about the need for philanthropy to care more about the aging population. 

Right now, aging simply isn’t an issue Americans are thinking about as a matter that requires a public response. This reality reveals a serious risk of policy inertia, or worse, rollbacks of existing supports. Unless the field of advocates who care about aging issues cultivates a more visible, more informed conversation on older people, it will remain difficult to advance the systemic changes needed to adjust to a society with increased and increasing longevity.

Our research shows that aging is misunderstood in America and that the misperceptions create obstacles to productive practices and policies. To change this dynamic, the field of aging needs to advance a set of core ideas that creates the
shifts in public understanding essential to building the political will to create a more age-integrated
society.

The goal of this strategy is to build public understanding. But how, specifically? More specific objectives are required, but they shouldn’t be left to intuition or guesswork. FrameWorks’ analysis of the gaps between the field's goals and the public’s perceptions yields the following set of priorities for communications efforts:

  • Redefine aging itself.
  • Highlight how social contexts and social policy influences aging.
  • Elevate awareness that ageism exists and that it can be addressed through sound policies and practices.
  • Create a sense of shared stake, public purpose, and potential for improvement.

Read the full article about aging frameworks at Frameworks Institute.