Successful ageing and ageism

The concept of successful ageing has instigated the imagination of laypeople, policy stakeholders, and researchers because it offers an alternative to gloomy stereotypes of decline, disability, and dependence commonly associated with old age. Successful ageing proposes an opportunity to transition smoothly from middle-life into old age, with none of the negative stereotypes commonly associated with old age. However, this opportunity comes at a price. This chapter aims to describe and illustrate the ageist features inherited in the concept of successful ageing and its negative, unintended consequences on older people and society at large. The chapter also describes how other- and self-directed ageism may prevent people from ageing successfully. Recommendations for concept refinement and policy are discussed.