“Ageism—the bias or prejudice based on age—continues to be socially acceptable, going largely unnoticed,” says Helen Hirsh Spence. “It’s evident everywhere and every day. It’s visible at the checkout in the grocery store, in our healthcare system, and throughout the service industry. If you’re labeled a ‘senior’ you are considered frail, vulnerable and in decline.”
Retirement at 65 is an antiquated notion, says Helen Hirsh Spence, founder of Top Sixty Over Sixty, which helps organizations understand the value of having a multi-generational workforce. “Older adults have what’s called crystallized intelligence. Young people have fluid intelligence,” said Spence. “You need both.”
More a spontaneous conversation than an interview, Elizabeth Overstreet and her husband chat with Helen Hirsh Spence about embracing age. Helen explores ageing and guides us through the profound shift that occurs when we adopt a longevity mindset.
Social entrepreneur and founder of Top Sixty Over Sixty, Helen Hirsh Spence, was one of the residents who was asked for her budget wish list. Helen hoped, “…the budget includes resources for age-diversity training to be included in all diversity strategies; incentives for employers to retain, hire and retrain older employees…”
International Women’s Day can feel like a bit of a whirlwind due to the many celebrations that take place. That’s why it was nice to have one last hurrah during the waning days of March at an International Women’s Month reception hosted by Liberal Ottawa-Vanier MPP Lucille Collard.
CABHI panellists Bianca, Adele and Helen offer insights, personal experiences, and research studies to help audience members grasp the concept of ageism, from defining ageism to explaining its many forms, the associated dangers, and how we can overcome it.
Helen notes, “A third of the population in Canada is almost 65 and older. In the United States, ten thousand people turn 65 daily. We need to change the way we think about ageing and begin to think of it as the positive force that it is”.
Host Kelli Phillips interviews Helen Hirsh Spence about why she was motivated to become a social entrepreneur and why she created Top Sixty Over at the age of sixty-seven. Helen discusses internalized ageism, gendered ageism, and longevity literacy.
Thanks to the buzz about Biden’s age, there have recently been numerous articles about the topic, and CBC decided to focus on it for Cross Country Checkup on February 18.
Helen emphasizes the need for a longevity focus, encourages an entrepreneurial mindset, and cautions against internalized ageism which undermines the potential of older adults.
No matter our current ages, all of us would be wise to get a head start on imagining the next stage (or stages) of our lives. With longer lifespans and health spans, that could mean another thirty years or so following your anticipated “retirement”.
Mira Brancu, Ph.D. explores age diversity and gendered ageism with Top Sixty’s Helen Hirsh Spence and the five ways organizations can improve their DEI initiatives to address ageism. Ageism affects all genders but is often excluded from diversity initiatives.