Spanish older people’s group takes on age stereotypes

Old objects can become more valued for their history, yet older people are often judged as though their worth fades: a new campaign in Spain challenges that contrast. The National Confederation of Active Older People (Confemac) launches it ahead of the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October.

A video at the heart of the campaign asks why growing older is so often treated as a loss of value. Confemac says age must not diminish a person’s dignity, autonomy, ability to make decisions or rights. Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda funds the initiative.

The group also points to the words viejo and vieja, the masculine and feminine forms of “old”. The Royal Spanish Academy defines them by age, but Confemac says people often use them to imply decline, passivity or a lack of ability.

A new episode of the podcast Más Vidas Para Tu Vida features writer and gerontologist Anna Freixas discussing the discomfort some people feel about calling themselves old, and how language shapes perceptions of ageing. Confemac’s message is that age alone says nothing certain about someone’s abilities, interests or plans.

Topics: Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com