An offhand remark by an acquaintance about using a smartphone. A joke about someone losing their memory or hearing. An ad in a magazine focused on erasing wrinkles or gray hair. An inner worry that getting older means growing lonely.

All of these kinds of everyday ageism, and many more, are common in the lives of Americans over 50, a new poll finds. In fact, more than 80% of those polled say they commonly experience at least one form of ageism in their day-to-day lives.

The poll even shows relationships between experiencing multiple forms of everyday ageism and health. In all, 40% of all poll respondents said they routinely experience three or more forms of ageism—and these older adults were much more likely to have poor mental and physical health.

But despite all this, the poll also suggests that most older adults hold positive attitudes toward aging—including 88% who say that they have become more comfortable being themselves, and 80% who have a strong sense of purpose. Two-thirds said life over 50 is better than they thought it would be.

The new results come from the National Poll on Healthy Aging, carried out by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation with support from AARP and Michigan Medicine. It involved a national sample of more than 2,000 adults aged 50 to 80.

The poll took place in December, before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and introduced new health risks for older adults. But the researchers hope the findings will inform efforts to address assumptions about older adults’ thoughts and experiences, and any age-based discrimination and negative consequences on health and well-being that may arise because of of the pandemic.

AARP has focused attention on the effects of ageism in the workplace, and worked to dispel outdated perceptions of aging.

“As Americans continue living longer, society must redefine what it means to get older,” says Alison Bryant, senior vice president of research for AARP. “We are encouraged these findings show most older adults feel positive about their lives, reaffirming that we can be active and happy in older age, but we have more work to do to disrupt damaging negative associations around aging.”

Read the full article about ageism by Kara Gavin at Futurity.