The World Economic Forum has announced that 'the global community has a role and a responsibility to combat ageism, which is the single most impenetrable barrier to the pursuit of healthy ageing'.

This new report brings together the reality of longer lives, the ageism exposed by the pandemic and its disproportionate impacts on older people, and the opportunities for building a future without ageism.

In the COVID-19 pandemic some deep-seated ageist attitudes towards older people have been exposed.

We’ve seen the familiar framing of older people as a burden and questions emerge about the value of older lives. We’ve seen older people not having a voice in decision making, reinforcing marginalisation and entrenched stereotypes. We’ve seen the contributions of older people disregarded and attempts to drive a wedge between generations.

Now is our historic chance to challenge and dismantle ageism and the assumptions on which it is based.

Join Ashton Applewhite and Jane Caro in conversation on building a world without ageism.

Michael Seymour is a former teacher who took up song writing after health issues challenged his teaching career. This progressed on to writing.

Michael’s latest screenplay, a musical comedy that challenges our perceptions of getting older, was inspired by a radio interview with Ashton Applewhite during her recent Australian tour (supported by the EveryAGE Counts campaign).

Michael spoke to the EveryAGE Counts campaign for this interview.

Dear Sir Madam, a song by Western Australian artist Kelea, was recently nominated for the WAM Song of the Year (Folk). The track, about ageism and unemployment, was featured by Ashton Applewhite on her social media, appeared on forbes.com following an interview with Richard Eisenberg and was also featured by Susan Flory on her podcast “The Big Middle” (US).

We spoke to Kelea about why she wrote the track. 

Why is it that when political leaders and the media report on a person who has died from COVID-19 they always tell us their age?

Are there political or media guidelines on how to report infections and deaths from COVID-19? If so, I can’t find them. Why is a person’s age a relevant factor to report?

Open this revolutionary book and you’ll be faced with some complex, but important, questions.

“With so many living so much longer, what is the meaning of the increasing years beyond 50? How can a society with more older people than younger ones thrive? How do we find happiness when we know life is long and time is short?”

While the covid-19 epidemic has severely affected the entire Australian workforce, it also presents an opportunity to build back better. In a post-COVID future, we can increase age-diversity in workplaces and better engage and include older people in work.

In the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen the surfacing of some deep-seated ageist attitudes toward older people on a number of fronts that need to be acknowledged and addressed.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, more than ever before, generations need to work together.  This is a joint statement of solidarity between EveryAGE Counts and our sister campaign, EveryChild - a campaign promoting the wellbeing of children and young people.     

Covid-19 is disrupting much of our daily lives, but not the desire to connect with loved ones. Technology can help, as Anne Ring writes.