Explicating Ageism in the Productive Aging Framework

Nancy Morrow-Howell, Ernest Gonzales

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This essay argues for a fuller integration of ageism and age discrimination into the productive aging framework. We briefly review the productive aging scholarship and the extent to which ageism has been considered in regard to working, volunteering, education, and caregiving. We suggest that ageism has not been adequately considered, and we identify how it permeates productive engagement in later life. We introduce modifications to the productive aging framework to more directly capture the roles of ageism and age discrimination in activity engagement and the outcomes achieved. We argue for the integration of key concepts from minority stress theory and critical race theory that may yield important insights for an increasingly diverse older population. We conclude with research directions that will guide intervention development to reduce ageism at the societal, organizational, and individual level.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbergnad156
JournalGerontologist
Volume64
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1 2024

Keywords

  • Age discrimination
  • Age stereotype
  • Caregiving
  • Employment
  • Volunteering

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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