Please Don’t Raise Your Voice To Me — I Hear Perfectly Well — Getting Rid of Biases About Aging
My hearing is great, but maybe you talk too fast.
My hearing is great, but maybe you talk too fast.
After turning 70 years old with white hair, I’m noticing people talking loud to me. They assume I can’t hear well. It’s annoying to me.
Rather than get upset, I use a soft sweet voice saying words like — “Baby, why are you talking so loud? Are you hard of hearing?”
This gets em every time. Afterwards, we carry a normal conversation.
What can be done about negative stereotypes that portray older adults as being out of touch? Although people may hope for good health and happiness, they believe that growing older involves deterioration and decline. If a person has internalized negative stereotypes such as (“I’m old, and it’s too late to change things”) then their motivation is diminished.
Studies show older adults who hold negative stereotypes tend to walk slower, experience memory problems, and recover less fully from a fall or fracture. Attitude is everything, isn’t it?
Seniors who view aging as primarily positive live seven-and-a-half years longer than other seniors. Why is this? I believe that the positive power of the mind affects your will to live, which adds additional years to your life.
Use strategies to challenge biases
Replace stereotypes — Instead of assuming a senior with a cane needs your help you might ask, “ Would you like assistance?”
Embrace new images — Wrinkles are beautiful to me. What about you?
Individualize them — Learn more about a person. How does that person cope day-to-day? Recently, I saw a picture of Clint Eastwood celebrating his 91st birthday. Even though he has shrunk in size, I remembered him back in the day playing the part of a cowboy on a TV series called Rawhide. In my eyes, he looks vibrant and full of life. He doesn’t look like the stereotype of a 90-year-old.
Switch perspectives — What would it be like if strangers patronized you and called you “sweetie” or “dear” or “baby” as we do here in Louisiana, for example.
Roger A. Reid, Ph.D. wrote “Live life by your standards. You’ve earned the right to call your own shots.”
Take Away
It’s not good to stereotype anyone that’s aging. Having a negative mindset about ageism can shorten your life. Take care of your mental and physical health and live life on your own terms.
Thanks for reading.