From Ageism to Age Equality: Addressing the Challenges ...

When considering the implementation of policies relating to the welfare of older people, we must notunderestimate the barriers. If the older population is characterised as a burden, a threat or a drainon society, this can make it immeasurably more difficult to develop a society for all ages. Olderpeople and their agencies need to be particularly resourceful in promoting intergenerational solidarityin our competitive society with its emphasis on lobbying for short-term measures rather than longtermplanning for an equitable society. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that societieswho are willing to plan can afford to grow old. Are we willing to plan?The Say No to Ageism campaign is an important step taken by The Equality Authority, HeBE and theNCAOP. It is designed to introduce the concept of ageism, however belatedly, in our society. We verymuch acknowledge the support of the Atlantic Philanthropies and Age and Opportunity in thisendeavour. We hope that, following review, we will be able to design and implement a longer-termpublic awareness campaign allied to initiatives to address negative attitudes to ageing and olderpeople, stereotyping, and direct and indirect discrimination.72Conference Proceedings