Past it at 40 - Summary document looking at impact of ageism on the over forties

21-February-2005

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[ Equal Opportunities/age , site-content comment ]
Past it at 40!

I've just come across a summary document that considers the impact of ageism and discrimination against older people, and notes that this has devastating effects, not just on over-fifties but,  on over-forties too!  I've already added it as a new resource on the Website, but to alert users to this latest update, you can also access it from this comment, by clicking on the 'resources' button above.

The report is based on qualitative research carried out  by SMA Associates for the Third Age Foundation, its opening paragraph states:


Why do so many people who want to work find it difficult to so do? Why are employers reluctant to employ ‘older people’? Is it purely the effect of discrimination and ageist attitudes? Or are there some other reasons? Whatever the causes, what can and should be done to achieve change for the better in the future?


This piece of qualitative research begins to find some answers to these difficult questions. It is a
contribution to the increasingly urgent debate about how to ensure that as many people as possible,
from all age groups, can find suitable work, which benefits both employers and the wider economy.
With the current concerns about the effects of the ageing population on future pension provision
and, as this report shows, the striking lack of pension provision for many people now in their forties
and fifties, the policy implications are more significant than ever.

Food for thought perhaps!


Lucy Marris; 21-February-2005 15:51:32; forum (2) help

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1 Past it at 40

This is extremely interesting!
I've recently undertook, as part of my Masters degree in Social Policy, research on age discrimination and find this extremetly interesting. Although now complete, my interest in this area continues to grow and I would like to learn of any other reports of this nature!
Hayley Reynolds , 01-March-2005 13:58:25 forum / discussion

2 Past it at 40

Summary's recommendations
This is a really interesting document. Thanks for the link. The idea that one can be past it at 40 is not new but still shocking in terms of education and employment, especially as we are told that the number of people over 60 living in the UK exceeds those under age 16! I was particularly interested and pleased to read the first recommendation made by the report: to encourage jobseekers to be seen 'holistically' e.g. to build skills levels, increase confidence and self-esteem, and resolve personal problems. I am really interested in this area of research in relation to guidance although I believe it should be applied across the CEG age spectrum. Another recent document on guidance and older adults is Geoff Ford's recently published 'Am I Still Needed?' (the source for my above statistic). The electronic version can be accessed at: http://www.derby.ac.uk/cegs/publications/amIstillneded.pdf In his report, Geoff comments, 'The older people are, the more "personal baggage" they have acquired and the more complex the decisions [resulting from guidance] may be' (p.10). It seems that the need for a holistic perspective is a reoccurring theme.
Michelle Wood, 01-March-2005 15:40:59 forum / discussion

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