Ageism (as defined as the “discrimination based on age, especially prejudice against the elderly” by thefreedictionary.com) is common in recent years because there’s been a perception among some individuals in society that the elderly are not considered as fit as other members of society. As a result, some elderly suffer discrimination, especially in areas of employment. They are often seen as lacking in agility and fitness when compared to other younger job candidates by some employers and thus a number of elderly could not secure a job in the workplace. This is – more often than not- a global phenomenon.

This should not be the case and there should be respect for the elderly.

The truth is that on the contrary, the elder has something to offer that others who are younger than them lack: work experiences.  For one, they are experienced in the workplace, some having worked for twenty to thirty years.  They will be an asset if they are retained and their expertise sought by the various organisations. In areas of education, some educationists are already retained to further contribute their service beyond the retirement age.  This is very heartening to know. Let’s hope that in the near future, we can see such trends appearing in other industries and professions as well.

Some of the elderly are also well versed in communication skills, and often express more humility than their younger counterparts. This will made them an asset in the workplace since conflicts will be lessened. For the various elderly who are skilled in conflict resolution, they can be good conflict mediators. Of course, not all the elderly has this skill but on the whole, most of them have them.

Because the elderly are a gem and an asset, we need to respect them for who they are and for their contributions. However, patience is need to accomplish this since some of them may need or take time to contribute.

If we are able to be patient, the things that we are able to learn from the elderly are immense.