Critically examine the concept of ‘successful aging,’ delving into both theoretical frameworks and recent research findings. Explore the ways in which communication, as a key factor, contributes to more positive experiences in the process of aging. Consider the implications of effective communication in fostering a sense of well-being, interpersonal relationships, and overall quality of life for older individuals.
ALC8007
Professional Communication in Intercultural Settings
Week 4: Intercultural professional communication and age
Friday, 23 February 2024
From Newcastle. For the world.
Aims of this week
1. Explore how communication reflects and shapes how we view and
experience aging
2. Discuss agism and age stereotypes
3. Discuss the notion of ‘successful aging’
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Part 1:
Introduction and background
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Background
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Background
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Background
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Introduction
Uncertainty & negativity around ‘ageing’ (in the ‘west’)
What is ‘young’, ‘middle aged’, and ‘elderly’ varies across people
Subjective representations of the lifespan
Giles et al. (2021: 12)
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Disciplinary perspectives
3 research approaches:
1. Physiological: somatic changes as people get older e.g. age-related illness,
decline in mental capabilities etc.
2. Psychological: e.g. effect of hobbies social support on memory and quality of
life.
3. Sociological: examines the ability of social institutions to cope with people
living longer
How do we manage the aging process communicatively?
Giles et al. (2021)
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Communication-focused approach (1)
Important for a person to:
Giles et al. (2021: 6)
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Communication-focused approach (2)
Giles et al. (2021: 2)
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Mentimeter poll: Age identity
What might be triggers of age identity?
What makes people ‘feel their age’?
Get your phones/devices out and go to: https://www.menti.com
Enter this code: 4303 2240
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Age identity (1)
Becomes salient or imposed in different situations
•
Subjective physical experiences e.g. less stamina
•
Changes in activities e.g. giving up a sport
•
Social experiences e.g. becoming a grandparent
Note: commonly held stereotypes about old age can enter self-concept
Triggers of age salience vary between people
Giles et al. (2021)
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Age identity (2)
What might be triggers of age identity?
Giles et al. (2021: 42)
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Age identity (3)
Age can become salient in a conversation explicitly or implicitly
Sometimes age is overtly foregrounded
Conversation openers:
• “Is your husband still alive?”
• “Do you feel lonely these days?”
• “Do you get to sleep alright?”
 Frames the entire dialogue as being constrained by age-related experiences
Giles et al. (2021)
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Age identity (4)
Communicative predicament model of aging (CPA)
Powerful role of language in people’s aging processes
Impact on older adults’ psychological well-being
Social cues can make age salient
 activates stereotyped expectations
Repercussions for the kind of talk that follows:
‘elderspeak’
Patronizing communication  people ‘instantly age’
Giles et al. (2021: 46-48)
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Communicative predicament model of aging (CPA)
Giles et al. (2021: 47)
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‘Elderspeak’ (1)
Simplified speech register used with older adults
VIDEO
Sounds like ‘baby talk’
Adjustments in rhythm, sound, sentence structure
e.g. high-pitched and over-nurturing voice, use of inappropriate terms of
endearment (e.g., sweetie), and collective pronoun substitution (e.g., we instead
of you)
Occurs in both (health)care and community settings
Speakers identify old age cues  interpret them as a need to accommodate
communication
Shaw & Gordon (2021)
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‘Elderspeak’ (2)
Conceptualised as an ageist behavior
Positive intentions: conveying comfort, encouraging cooperation, enhancing
comprehension
Can lead to negative self-perceptions among older adults
Largely negative perceptions by older adults (patronising)
Negative behavioural responses for persons with dementia
Can it be beneficial by enhancing communication comprehension?
Shaw & Gordon (2021)
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Part 2:
Ageism & Age Stereotypes
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Mentimeter poll: Old age stereotypes
Can you think of some common old age
stereotypes?
Think of positive and negative ones…
Get your phones/devices out and go to: https://www.menti.com
Enter this code: 6521 4096
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Introduction: age stereotyping (1)
Negative attitudes towards aging common in ‘Western’ societies
Unfavourable views of older adults common
Age stereotyping = when people attribute characteristics they associate with
older people to members of that group
Note: stereotypes can be positive
Negative attitudes can shape:
•
Older people’s expectations of later life
•
Younger people’s behaviours toward older adults
Giles et al. (2021: 20)
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Introduction: age stereotyping (2)
Negative stereotypes: incompetent, dependent, slow,
grouchy
Positive stereotypes: wise, knowledgeable, self-accepting,
trustworthy, kind, and family oriented
Research on age stereotypes:
•
Have become progressively more negative
•
Established early in life (e.g. 6-year olds drawings)
•
Negative views of ‘middle age’ (e.g. greeting cards)
Giles et al. (2021: 25)
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Introduction: ageism (1)
Ageism = when people treat someone differently because of their age
When older adults are:
•
Dismissed
•
Ignored
•
Taken less seriously
•
Denied opportunities
When ‘society doesn’t value older people or
invest in ways to help people age well’
Ageism | Centre for Ageing Better (ageing-better.org.uk)
….because of their age
Giles et al. (2021: 20)
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What is ageism?
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Introduction: ageism (2)
Ageism can be positive as well.
Privileges for older adults:
•
‘Senior discounts’
•
Tax advantages
•
Eligibility for certain housing
Ageism can occur to individuals at any point in the lifespan
In Europe, younger adults report experiencing greater age-based
discrimination than older adults.
Giles et al. (2021: 20)
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Prevalence of ageism (1)
Ageism can be explicit and implicit
Prevalent in interpersonal interaction and the media
‘Myths of aging’ (sayings/beliefs)
• “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”
• “El loro viejo no aprende a hablar” (Spanish: “An old parrot cannot learn to speak”)
• “I vecchi non imparano cose nuove” (Italian: “Old people do not learn new things”)
Imply that older people are (inevitably) physically and mentally declining
Giles et al. (2021: 21)
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Prevalence of ageism (2)
Age discrimination manifests in direct and indirect ways
Direct:
Policies that deny older adults opportunities or hold them to different standards
than adults in other age groups e.g. mandatory retirement in certain professions
Indirect:
Geriatrics viewed as an unattractive field and fewer doctors relative to size of
patient group
Giles et al. (2021: 21)
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Ageism across cultures (1)
Experience of aging can differ across cultures
Global variations in cultural beliefs, values, and traditions
Progression to later stages of the lifespan as a sacred period
‘Successful aging’ v familism
East Asian societies: Confucian value of filial piety
Giles et al. (2021:
11)
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Ageism across cultures (2)
Research:
•
Climate for intergenerational communication and stereotypes of older adults
negative or more negative in ‘Eastern’ cultural contexts compared with
‘Western’ ones
•
Derogation of older people worst in East Asia, and cultural values of
individualism associated with more positive views toward older adults
•
Increase in proportion of older adults in national populations predicted
negative attitudes toward older people
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Why does ageism matter?
Harmful across contexts:
Health care – evidence of older people:
•
being denied access to care and treatments
•
being excluded from research studies
•
being prescribed more antidepressants
Listen:
Four Thought – Ending
Ageism – BBC Sounds
Read:
Elderspeak: the
language of ageism in
healthcare | OUPblog
Media and culture – most obvious manifestation of ageist stereotypes
‘normalising of worthlessness of old age’
**The workplace**
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Ageism in the workplace (1)
Belief that older people will not perform as adequately or as quickly as their
young counterparts
Viewed as:
• Reliable
• Loyal
Listen (39:50 onwards):
You and Yours – Ageism in the travel
industry – BBC Sounds
• Declining physically and mentally
• Resistant to new technologies
• Less able to adapt to change
Age discrimination is difficult to prove and thus address
Giles et al. (2021: 22)
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Ageism in the workplace (2)
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Ageism in the workplace (3)
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Ageism in the workplace (4)
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Agism in the workplace (5)
Age = most commonly reported reason for work-related discrimination
(OECD, 2020)
Ageism in recruitment – older applicants are frozen out of the job market:
•
Inadequate processes
•
Age-bias
•
Lack of engagement from employers and recruiters
36% of older workers (aged 50-69) feel at a disadvantage in applying to jobs
due to their age Good Recruitment for Older Workers (GROW) | Centre for Ageing Better (ageing-better.org.uk)
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Key issues (1)
Source: Shut-out-over-50s-workers_0.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Key issues (2)
How To Spot Age Discrimination In A Job Interview – YouTube
Source: Shut-out-over-50s-workers_0.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Mini task: Age-friendly recruitment (1)
Source: Shut-out-over-50s-workers_0.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Mini task: Age-friendly recruitment (2)
Source: Shut-out-over-50s-workers_0.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Age-friendly employer
Age-friendly employers:
•
Giving older workers a fair chance to progress
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Opportunity for employers to benefit from an experienced, diverse workforce
Watch:
Age-friendly workplaces: Hertfordshire
Independent Living Service – YouTube
Source: Shut-out-over-50s-workers_0.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
Source: Good Recruitment for Older Workers (GROW) | Centre for Ageing Better (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Reframing aging (1)
Older people commonly portrayed as frail, vulnerable and dependent
Old age associated with: decline and ill-health
Language use matters:
•
Public opinion
•
Policy choices and decisions
Changing the narrative – ‘reframing’
Ageism | Centre for Ageing Better (ageing-better.org.uk)
Reframing ageing: Public perceptions of ageing, older age and demographic change | Centre for Ageing Better (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Reframing aging (2)
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Reframing aging (3)
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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‘Reframing ageing’ research project (1)
Centre for Ageing Better (2021)
Mixed-methods project
How are ageing and demographic change talked about in society?
Eight focus groups (Manchester and Bournemouth),
•
Age bands: 18-34, 35-49, 50-79 and 70+
•
70 participants
Survey of 2,185 adults across England
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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‘Reframing ageing’ research project (2)
Agreement highest amongst the youngest and the older age groups
Higher levels of lived experience of ageism?
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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‘Reframing ageing’ research project (3)
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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‘Reframing ageing’ research project (4)
54% reject the idea that older people benefit at the expense of younger people
(with only 20% agreeing)
80% think that older people have a wealth of experience and perspectives
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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‘Reframing ageing’ research project (5)
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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‘Reframing ageing’ research project (6)
Conclusions:
•
Public attitudes towards ageing and older age are mixed
•
Attitudes towards ageing are complex and nuanced
•
Narratives of intergenerational conflict do not necessarily reflect public
opinion overall
•
Most people agree that your experience of ageing is determined by
circumstances
Source: Reframing-ageing-public-perceptions.pdf (ageing-better.org.uk)
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Part 3:
Successful aging
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Successful aging : introduction (1)
Labels: ‘productive aging’, ‘effective aging’, ‘robust aging’, ‘aging well’, ‘positive
aging’…
Around 30 different definition
Successful aging is:
“subjective judgment of how well
one is experiencing the process of
aging at a given point in time” (Gasiorek
et al. 2015: 578)
“not about being in perfect physical health, or eliminating the traces of aging.
Rather, it is about embracing one’s age, taking advantage of opportunities, and
building healthy relationships with friends and other loved ones in a way that
fosters contentment with a person’s current stage of life.” (p. 109)
Giles et al. (2021)
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Successful ageing: introduction (2)
Process rather than a state
Origin: social gerontology
Sporadic attention in communication studies
What role does communication play in successful ageing?
Goal: empower aging individuals
How ‘old’ do you communicate and are you communicated to and about?
What hobbies and activities boost your wellbeing? | Age UK – YouTube
Giles et al. (2021)
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Successful aging : factors
1. Finances
2. Subjective wellbeing
3. Satisfaction with life
Giles et al. (2021: 110)
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Age ideologies (1)
Sets of attitudes and feelings about aging
1. Motivated acceptance: Accepting one’s life stage and relishing its prospects
and potentials
2. Studenthood: Learning and engaging new ideas across the lifespan
3. Inculturing process: Participating in different and distinct ‘cultures’
associated with different ages and life stages
Giles et al. (2021)
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Communication-centred approach (1)
Communication practices can create and/or maintain age ideologies
(1) Self-categorizing with respect to age
Language that invokes age (e.g. “When you’re my age you’ll …”)
Age excuses: attribute a problem or shortcoming to one’s age
 Reinforces stereotypes of aging as a process of decline
Alternative: self-categorize in terms of other aspects of life
Giles et al. (2021)
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Communication-centred approach (2)
(2) Categorizing, teasing, and reacting to others in terms of age
e.g. birthday cards and engaging in patronizing talk
Alternative: recognising individual qualities rather than stereotypes or qualities
associated with a person’s observed age
(3) Expressing positive emotions and optimism about the aging process
Generativity
Engaging in acts that might benefit the next generation e.g. passing on talents
and skills
Giles et al. (2021)
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Communication-centred approach (3)
(4) Managing being the inevitable recipient of agism
Developing a repertoire of (rehearsed) responses to deflect agism
(5) Being literate about agism in the mass media and ‘anti-aging’ products
(6) Discussing and communicatively planning our own and others’ care and
end-of-life needs with family
(7) Embracing new communication technology as a means to stay connected
Giles et al. (2021)
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Communicative ecology model of successful aging (CEMSA)
Giles et al. (2021: 121)
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What does successful aging sound like?
1. How do adults communicate about aging?
2. How do these communication patterns relate to experiences of successful
aging?
2 datasets collected in New Zealand (N=458) and the United States (N=234)
Online questionnaire
– Endorsement of communicative behaviours
– Uncertainty
– Positive and negative affect
– Efficacy
– Successful aging
Gasiorek et al. (2015)
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Key Findings
3 profiles of talk about aging:
1. Disengaged agers: relative lack of any talk related to aging
2. Engaged agers: low levels of teasing and self-categorization, but higher
levels of resistance to media messages and talk about future care wishes
3. Bantering agers: higher levels of teasing, self-categorization and playing
along with others’ jokes about age, high resistance to antiaging messages
Participants reported aging well
 Successful aging is a highly subjective process
 Multiple communicative means to achieve successful aging
Gasiorek et al. (2015)
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Age-friendly communication
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Take-away messages
1. Age becomes salient in interaction
2. Age stereotypes and ageism are prevalent across contexts
3. Communication plays a critical role in helping people age well
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After this class
1. Check the module contents for week 4 on the ‘Modules’ section
of Canvas (i.e. slides and other materials)
2. Read: Giles, H., Gasiorek, J., Davis, S.M., & Giles, J. (2021).
Successful aging and communication. In ‘Communication for
successful aging: Empowering individuals across the lifespan’ (pp.
108-127). Routledge.
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See you next week!
Questions?
If anything isn’t clear, please contact me
[email protected]
KEY DATES
Virtual exchange
Session 3
Thursday, 29 Feb
3.30-4.30pm
On Zoom
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Key References
•
Gasiorek, J., Fowler, C., Giles, H. (2015). What does successful aging sound like? Profiling communication about
aging. Human Communication Research, 41(4), 577- 602, https://doi.org/10.1111/hcre.12060
•
Giles, H., Gasiorek, J., Davis, S.M., & Giles, J. (2021). Communication for successful aging: Empowering individuals
across the lifespan. Routledge.
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Further interesting resources
Are our perceptions of age distorted? – YouTube
The Harmful Effects of Ageism | Listen To America – YouTube
Let’s end ageism | Ashton Applewhite – YouTube
Ageism in the USA: The paradox of prejudice against the
elderly | Ashton Applewhite | Big Think – YouTube
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