"The Elderly"

Abstract

Older people in Aotearoa New Zealand too often experience negative attitudes or behaviours towards them based on their age. A pertinent example of this is the term “the elderly.” The objective of this research was to understand how stereotypes of “the elderly” are portrayed in the online arena in social and public spaces. Within Aotearoa New Zealand, 155 online media items using terms like “the elderly” and “elderly” were tracked, recorded and analysed during 2019 to determine stereotypical meanings of “the elderly.” Results revealed use of the term “the elderly” reflected various stereotyping and ageist discourses in the message. Labelling older people as “the elderly” may perpetuate social exclusion and discrimination faced by older people. As educators, we have a responsibility to create opportunities for meaningful intergenerational exchanges and relationship building within our teaching and learning activities.