Negative stereotypes around the elderly must change, the Scottish Minister for older people has said.
Speaking to The Herald at the EngAGE conference in Glasgow yesterday, SNP MSP Christina McKelvie said a key element in her national strategy for older people would be to transform the narrative when it comes to discussing them.
She said we need to “get away from” labels such as “over the hill”, or the idea that “once you turn 50 or retire you’ve got nothing to offer”.
“We’re absolutely changing that and turning it on its head,” she said.
The strategy, first published in 2011 but revised last year, set out to ensure older people in Scotland are viewed as “valued”, their voices heard and that they receive proper support to “enjoy full and positive lives in their own home or in a homely setting”.
Emmanuelle Tulle, a professor in sociology at Glasgow Caledonian University, said stereotypes on ageing would have to be re-thought, adding that the process had to start early on in life.
“How we age is very much influenced by the hand we’re dealt with in our early years,” she told The Herald.
One audience member questioned whether terms such as “elderly” should be replaced with “experienced”.
Others reflected on how being referred to as an “older person” in Japanese society is a mark of respect, but in Britain is seen as having a negative connotation.
The Japanese term, ikigai, was raised during the event by Tom Winstanley, VP of innovation for Japan-based global IT services provider NTT DATA. The term, which has no direct English translation, essentially means “the reason why you get up in the morning”.
Mr Winstanley demonstrated the term with a venn diagram of four overlapping ideas: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for.
He argued the concept of ikigai should be the focus of rethinking how older people can still contribute to society.
Inspired by Mr Winstanley’s presentation, Ms McKelvie said: “I think maybe you might find ikigai being used a lot in government because it’s about balance isn’t it, it’s about feeling part of a community, part of a society and using all of your skills and experience to contribute to that.”
The event, held at Glasgow Caledonian University, featured industry experts, healthcare professionals and academics, and focused on bringing organisations together to “shape a new national narrative on ageing”.
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