We must do more to address ageism

Ageism, discrimination against individuals based on their age, is one of the most regularized types of discrimination. The lack of attention paid to this subject in policy is an issue that will eventually affect everyone, if it does not already. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted not only the vulnerability of our society's population of older adults, but more specifically, the weaknesses of a society that overlooks the strengths of its elders and fails to prioritize policy to support this demographic.

Personally, this pandemic has emphasized the wisdom of those that have come before me. Great-grandparents, grandparents and parents, all sharing their stories of difficult times in history. Not only do they share their personal accounts of grief and loss, more importantly they share their stories of triumph and resilience.

The older generations are the backbone to our society and remind us that we can get through this. These are generations that grew up knowing sacrifice, through world wars, military service and economic recessions. Older adults are now experiencing challenges including rising health care costs, food insecurity and mental health concerns such as isolation and loneliness. However, despite these growing concerns, we do not see these issues come up in major policy discussions, as if the older generation is moved to an afterthought.

While the pandemic has wreaked havoc, it has also shed a light on the holes in our society where we can do better. Addressing ageism in our society is one of these holes. With a conscious shift in priority, we can develop meaningful policy that reflects the needs of our older population, sustainable well beyond this pandemic. Until that happens, let's all do our part to protect this vulnerable and incredibly valuable, sector of our society.

Sarah Galla

Arlington Heights