AGEISM: How fear of flying became fear of falling

We had a wintry mix last week, and as I put on my boots, I thought, “I don’t want to fall.” “You sound old,” I said to myself. And then I thought, “Why does not wanting to fall make me old? I think it makes me smart.”

Risk-taking is highest in adolescents and tends to decrease as we age. Is that because older adults are more fearful, or because they are more experienced? Being cautious and prudent should make me wise, so why did I see it as “being old?” Because I am ageist.

Being cautious and prudent should make me wise, so why did I see it as “being old?” Because I am ageist.

The term “ageism” was coined in 1969 by physician/gerontologist Robert Neil Butler, who was the first Director of the National Institute on Aging. Butler defined “ageism” as:

1. Prejudicial attitudes towards older people, old age, and the aging process,
2. Discriminatory practices toward older people, and
3. Institutional practices and policies that perpetuate negative stereotypes about older adults.