DIRECTIONS
“She looks great for her age!” “He still drives?” “Wow, you’re sharp as a tack!” Sound familiar? All of us are aging, but sometimes the words we use to describe older adults create a dynamic of “us vs. them.”
Or maybe you have heard the growing population of older adults described as “an epidemic” or “the silver tsunami” – as if aging is a crisis to overcome.
The words we use exert great power. Eight national organizations on aging, including Grantmakers in Aging (of which UMRC Foundation is a member) have launched the Reframing Aging Initiative with the Frameworks Institute to break down stereotypes and change the way we think and communicate about aging.
This effort takes time, but the conversation around aging is changing. As we are living longer and healthier lives, it is important to embrace aging, appreciate the contributions of older adults, and seek innovative approaches that create a more just and enriched society for all of us.
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