A London-based charity has launched a range of ‘age-positive’ icons as an alternative for stereotypical images, to help tackle ageism.
The Centre for Ageing Better, an organisation focused on improving the lives of the UK’s older generation, has worked with changing policy when it comes to housing, employment, health and local communities.
Louise Ansari, Director of Communications for Ageing Better, highlighted the importance of changing age-related stereotypes, and for the public to understand the older generation are far more than frail and immobile.
She said: “Remember that the elder generation are developing a massive group of really diverse groups, capable of anything in the way that any other age group is.
“We can all do our bit personally ,thinking as positively as we can about growing older and to kind of visualise how positive and what a great time later life can be.
“Ages are manifested in images, such as stock photography, but also in things like incredibly old-fashioned road sign, which really doesn’t reflect the diversity of older people.”
Ageing Better launched the competition with Public Health England last year, with the intention of re-thinking the ‘Elderly road sign.’
The winning icons, designed by SwaG Design, featured images of a couple dancing across the road, sitting at a computer working, and even riding a bike.
The ‘dancing couple’ entry gave the classic road sign, which featured a hunched-over couple, gave a new burst of energy.
The introduction of these age-positive icons is part of a wider effort from Ageing Better to tackle ageism within the community and attempt to change existing stereotypes.
Ageing Better launched their ‘age-positive’ image library, offering a range of photographs that dispel stereotypes of the older generation.
The organisation hope the introduction of more diverse images of the older generation will help pave the way for a more inclusivity, and to help tackle ageism.
To see more of the images, click here.
