One Christmas early on in his exploits, Harry Potter received the Cloak of Invisibility from Headmaster Dumbledore. Harry and his friends used the cloak for all kinds of intrigues and shenanigans throughout the ensuing years.[1]
But in the West, all elders have an invisibility cloak foist upon them whether they accept the “gift” or not. This cloak of invisibility is called ageism and when combined with sexism, racism and/or classism it turns from being a boon for Harry to a burden for increasing millions of older adults. The United Nations declared 2021-2030 to be the Decade of Healthy Aging just as the World Health Organization (WHO) found that half of people surveyed around the world hold ageist views.
Ageism’s cloak of invisibility has a breadth of negative economic, political, social and mental health consequences. It is when we send CVs in for a position that we are eminently qualified – or 100 CVs – and we get no reply whatsoever. It’s going through a series of interviews for a position and being told that we have insufficient experience despite our 15 years of senior experience to the five years posted in the terms of reference. The WHO found that at least 14% of seniors – 60 years old plus – are unable to meet their basic daily needs. In the US, the Congressional Research Service found that 10.3% of seniors 65 or older live at or below the poverty line—that’s nearly 6 million elders.
We know the cloak is draped over us when we enter rooms and there isn’t the slightest flicker of recognition by those already there. The sense of invisibility, combined with pervasive feelings of isolation, create a mental health burden among many elders. Previous webs of friends and family unravel as people move away or pass away. That cloak makes it hard to connect with others, in part because they’re wearing their own cloak!
Elders often sport their cloak of invisibility during meetings with health providers. It is not uncommon when elders are accompanied by friends or family members they are referred to in the third person, rather than being spoken with directly. A 2020 meta-analysis of ageism and health outcomes[2] found that three components of ageism have negative impacts on elder health. These include age discrimination, negative age stereotypes, and negative self-perceptions of aging.
I have an idea. As you’re going through your closet for spring cleaning, decluttering, or preparing to downsize – take that cloak of invisibility and throw it away! To replace it, dig out your strength, your experience, and your words and use them! Deck yourself out in splendid colors of outrage, action, and audaciousness! Misplaced those, too? Join me at www.wondercrone.com and let’s refresh that wardrobe!
[1] For encyclopedic reference see https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Cloak_of_Invisibility
[2] Chang ES, Kannoth S, Levy S, Wang SY, Lee JE, Levy BR. Global reach of ageism on older persons' health: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2020 Jan 15;15(1):e0220857. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220857. PMID: 31940338; PMCID: PMC6961830.
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