Irish society not age-friendly, finds survey

YEATS was right after all — Ireland is no country for old men, or women for that matter, according to the results of a survey that shows that the higher the age attained, the lower the respect afforded.

More than half the respondents in a survey said society treated older people worse than young people and almost half said respect levels fell the older a person got. In response to the question, “Is Ireland an age-friendly society?” a very decisive 62.2% replied no.

The only deviation from the trend came from the under-20s, more than half of whom felt their elders did receive more respect than people their own age.

The survey was conducted on behalf of the Equality Authority, the National Council on Ageing and Older People, and the Health Service Executive as part of their “Say No To Ageism” campaign which takes place this week.

Dr Ciarán Donegan, chairman of the National Council on Ageing and Older People, said the campaign aimed at raising awareness of ageism and its impact on older people, and at encouraging organisations to take practical steps to develop an age-friendly approach.

“Ageism is pervasive in Ireland and it poses a major barrier to the development of an age-friendly society in Ireland in the years ahead,” he said.

An age-friendly society was one “in which older people are no longer marginalised by ageist attitudes, regulations and practices that limit their expectations or their capacity to live in dignity and independence”.

Among the activities taking place this week are an advertising campaign — that will be run on billboards, radio and even beer mats — and the launch of a report on plans by Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and the Rural Transport Programme to improve services for older passengers.

Chief executive of the Equality Authority, Niall Crowley, said ageism was discriminatory to both older and young people and it featured strongly in the complaints brought to the authority’s attention for legal action each year.

“These case files involve allegations of discrimination by older people in relation to access to employment, promotion, the use of mandatory retirement age limits and voluntary redundancy packages,” he said.

Other case files on hand involved both young and older people experiencing difficulties accessing insurance, banking and financial services and public sector services purely on the grounds of their age.

The survey showed that stereotypical attitudes prevail in significant numbers in society, as 38% of those questioned thought it fair to say that older people were set in their ways and ideas. That view was most strongly held by the 70 to 80 age group, 47% of whom said it was a fair statement.

Those in the 40 to 50 age group felt most strongly that ageism was a serious problem.