EP154: This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism

<p dir="ltr">Negative beliefs about aging decrease your lifespan </p> <p dir="ltr">by an average of seven and a half years. </p> <p dir="ltr">—Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP, FGSA, FAAN</p> <p><strong> </strong>From childhood on, we are barraged with messages that to grow older is a sad thing – that it means decline, decay, and illness. Society is also full of ageist myths and beliefs that impact our health and well-being. <strong> </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Join me for today's episode, where I talk to Ashton Applewhite about how these stereotypes impact our brains and bodies. We hope you'll join our crusade to change the way you see aging, and getting older doesn't mean becoming unhappier for the rest of your life!</p> <p dir="ltr">▶️ This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism</p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Meet Ashton, a passionate journalist and author who aims to raise awareness about ageism in America. She fervently invites younger and older individuals to unite and join the movement to break down the barriers of ageism.</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">Key points covered in this episode:</p> <p dir="ltr">✔️Dismantling ageism in a world of longer lives.  </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Ageism is a harmful belief that wrongly suggests that reaching a certain age inevitably leads to a decline in health and independence, ultimately resulting in 'diapers, decrepitude, and death.' It's important to challenge and overcome this negative stereotype.</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">✔️ Sex and intimacy in older age </p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Representation holds immense significance. Unfortunately, there is still a noticeable scarcity of older individuals portrayed in the media, movies, and television. What's more, they are rarely showcased as romantic individuals. The dating game show "The Golden Batchelor" is quite notable for giving older adults the visibility they deserve.</p> </li> </ul> <p