Questioning and tackling ageism towards the elderly through communication: the case of the associative movement of older persons in El Salvador

Abstract

Stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination, whether self-inflicted or against others on the basis of age, constitute a human rights problem known as ageism. The World Health Organization (WHO) equates it in severity to sexism and racism, although its existence is less recognized and documented than the latter two. Ageism manifests itself at three levels: institutional, interpersonal and self-inflicted, and explicitly or implicitly, when it has become normalized and forms part of a society's cultural frame of reference. According to WHO data, it affects millions of people in the world and, in particular, those over 60 years of age, whose chances of enjoying decent living conditions are thus diminished. Its prevalence is higher in low- and lower-middle-income countries and may be increasing globally, driven by demographic changes.

The need and urgency of addressing this growing problem is evident. This has been understood by the elderly themselves in El Salvador, where barely 16% of them receive some kind of pension and 24% are in poverty, a figure that rises among the rural population and when they reach 80 years of age. Because of this, since 2005 they have organized and mobilized to claim their right to a dignified old age; in 2017 they bet on communication for social change as one of the elements of their strategy to fight against ageism. This article describes and analyzes that communicative strategy and notes some of its hopeful achievements.