Celebrating the new rules of ageing

At the core of ECH, we encourage our clients and residents to thrive as they age. With this in mind, it was only fitting for our organisation to be part of COTA SA’s Ageing: It’s time to re-write the rules event last September.

COTA SA hosted the event, coinciding with International Day of Older Persons, and welcomed 175 South Australians to continue the conversation about ageism.

Claire Scapinello ECH Chief Executive

Special guests Maggie Beer AO, Keith Conlon OAM and Polly Sumner Dodd discussed their lived experiences of ageing at the event and set the foundation for a wider discussion about what needs to change, what old rules must be thrown out and what the new rulebook for ageing should include.

While some audience members have experienced or come across ageing stereotypes, such as feeling invisible, pain, ill health, loneliness and uncertainty, they also shared what delighted them about ageing, including freedom and choice, lived experience, new skills and wisdom.

Through rich conversations and insights, COTA SA has learnt that a new rulebook for ageing must include rules that can be lived by on a personal level, rules that need to be adopted at a community level and rules required to change at a systemic level, and ECH is proud to support this.

It is now time to focus on the rules to live by for modern ageing, which can be divided into:

• Personal Rules – Make the most of each day, learn new things, eat healthy food

• Community Rules – Be respectful, kind and inclusive, seek connection across generations, challenge ageist attitudes whenever they arise

• Systemic Rules – Make people aged 50+ visible in the mainstream media, use positive language and images about growing older in the media and maintain face to face services.

Thank you COTA SA, for advocating and addressing ageism and for encouraging South Australians to embrace and celebrate ageing.