Ageism In Movies Can Cause Harm

The publication Benefits Pro published an article by writer Marlene Y. Satter depicting an unfortunate scene drawn from the movies. She explains

Not only can movie portrayals of older people make it tougher for them to get and keep good jobs, inaccurate and ageist depictions of older people can also weigh on their health and morale.

Research from Humana and the University of Southern California Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, describes 44% of films depict older characters in demeaning ways. These depictions are far from accurate, especially when showing the characters as “out of it” with respect to technology. The truth is 89% use computer technology on a weekly basis. The films surveyed only depict 40% engaged with technology.

The problem with this is that the older population may begin to see themselves in this unflattering light. Dr. Stacy L. Smith, director of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, who handled the film portion of the research says:

Our research shows that staying optimistic is vital to the perceived physical and mental health of seniors, and films may be negatively impacting their health by portraying seniors in demeaning or inaccurate ways.

Link to the full article: Movies’ ageism can actually cause harm