A guide to taking ageism out of Aged Care
Language is powerful
Language is never neutral: the way we talk about and interact with older people matters. If you automatically think that “old equals bad” and “young equals good,” – if you have never even questioned that – those internalised beliefs will be reflected in what you say and do and potentially cause harm. Changing our language can be the first step toward changing our attitudes and beliefs. It’s a good place to start if we want to end ageism.
Why do we need a guide?
It’s easy to unknowingly use ageist language and behaviours, even when you mean to be kind and helpful. It’s called ‘benevolent ageism’, and it can be avoided if we stop and think about what we say and do. As someone who works in aged care, kindness and care are undoubtedly part of your values. But some of the language and behaviours we’ve learnt over time can be patronising and insulting and leave people feeling disempowered.
This guide contains simple tools and practical
advice to help you communicate with your clients in ways that respect people’s rights and support their independence and capacity to retain their autonomy, power and dignity.
Who is it for?
This guide has been developed for all the people who work in the aged care system:
- Support workers
- Nurses and healthcare workers
- Allied healthcare workers
- Managers and administrative staff
- Others, like Volunteers, family members, friends and carers
