No time is as diverse as age
Take a moment: How do you picture the typical pensioner?
I have to admit, an old woman with gray hair hunched over comes to mind - maybe because my own grandmother looked like that. Maybe also because grandmas are portrayed that way in many books and films.
One thing is certain: each of us has a certain image of old age. What many don't know is that this image is extremely important for our own aging. Several studies show that people with negative images of aging are less healthy later in life themselves. They are more likely to have cardiovascular disease and poor memory performance. In contrast, older people with a positive view of old age are more confident, remain physically active and take part in social activities more often – a self-fulfilling prophecy, so to speak.
"The elderly" in the Corona crisis
In addition to these very personal ideas about old age, there are also various images of aging that prevail in society. They are spread, for example, by the media and are behind terms such as “old people in need of help”, “old people who are willing to spend money” or “active old people”. During the Corona crisis in particular, one could observe how “the elderly” were often presented as less healthy. Studies show that social background often explains the differences between people better than calendar age
Young meets old(er images)
Such negative images of age are particularly problematic when they lead to stigmatization, age discrimination and less open interaction between old and young. The so-called "vicious circle model" showed, for example, that younger people change their behavior and language significantly when they meet an older person. The reason: They activate certain age stereotypes and attribute the older person's lack of skills. This "over-conformist" behavior in turn triggers self-doubt in the elderly, who actually question their own competence in the conversation.
It also becomes problematic when negative stereotypes manifest themselves in discriminatory behavior at work or in medical care. In the German Age Survey, for example, the 40-69 year old increasingly report discrimination in the area of work and job search (around 14 percent). In medical care, the oldest respondents in particular perceive a certain discrimination (70-85 years, around 7 percent).
Beware of positive images of old age
What's really exciting: some German studies show that old people mostly look very young in advertising and on television these days. They are portrayed in an exaggeratedly positive way – above all in terms of their social integration and their financial resources. But researchers also warn against such overly positive generalization, as it confronts older people with excessive pressure of expectations and can lead to disappointment.
(Older) people are different
What is overlooked in all these negative and positive stereotypes is that hardly any phase of life is as diverse as old age. A 50-year-old is often considered an “older worker” in professional life, while a politician around 50 in a high office is still considered relatively young. Roger Federer, on the other hand, is certainly considered an "old" tennis player at the age of 40. And the Queen recently rejected an "oldie award" - on the grounds: "You are as old as you feel". You therefore do not meet the relevant criteria to accept the award.
The life situation of older people is also very different. “There are old people who are very restricted and fall through the social safety net. There are also those who embody very positive stereotypes: idleness, luxury - enjoying the finer things in life. And there are a lot of people in between,” says graduate psychologist Dr. Verena Klusmann, Head of the DFG Network Images of Aging. That is why researchers today are demanding not only to show negative or positive images, but also to show the great diversity of old people.
What each of us can do
For each and every one of us, this means staying open to the opportunities and challenges of old age. Enter into an exchange with people who are much younger or much older than you. And ask yourself critically how you imagine old age to be. A closer look is worthwhile, because many people today can expect to live a long time even after they have retired – often in relatively good health thanks to medical advances.
Health also depends on one's own lifestyle and on many different aspects. One of them is the conscious design of one's own contented life. A lot changes, especially during the transition from gainful employment to retirement, and “new satisfaction” has to be found.