Healthcare professionals caring for diverse older adults in a positive, supportive environment.

Fighting Ageism: How Healthcare Professionals Can Make a Difference

Mira Elwood in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover the surprising impact of ageism in healthcare and what professionals can do to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for older adults."

The world is aging. By 2050, the population of adults aged 60 and over will nearly double, jumping from 12% to 22%. This demographic shift presents both opportunities and challenges, especially within healthcare. As the number of older adults increases, so does the need for healthcare professionals equipped to provide them with quality care.

Unfortunately, negative attitudes and stereotypes—collectively known as ageism—can create significant barriers to providing older adults with the support they need. Ageism, defined as discrimination against individuals based on their age, affects how healthcare professionals interact with older patients, impacting everything from assessment and treatment to overall well-being. In fact, a study of 628 healthcare professionals in Turkey revealed that while attitudes were generally positive, difficulties in providing care and educational status significantly affected perceptions of older adults.

This article dives into the subtle ways ageism manifests in healthcare, offering actionable insights for healthcare professionals striving to cultivate a more inclusive and supportive environment. By understanding the roots of ageism and adopting practical strategies, you can help ensure that older adults receive the respect, dignity, and high-quality care they deserve.

What is Ageism and How Does It Show Up in Healthcare?

Healthcare professionals caring for diverse older adults in a positive, supportive environment.

Ageism isn't always overt. It often lurks beneath the surface in subtle behaviors, assumptions, and systemic practices. It’s fueled by stereotypes and myths that paint older adults as unproductive, cognitively impaired, or generally less valuable to society. These biases can seep into healthcare settings, influencing how professionals interact with and care for older patients.

Consider these common manifestations of ageism in healthcare:

Communication Barriers: Healthcare professionals may default to speaking with family members instead of directly engaging older patients in conversations about their care preferences. This can disempower patients and lead to misunderstandings.
Geriatric Syndromes: Difficulty in assessing and managing geriatric syndromes, such as sleep disorders, pressure ulcers, and incontinence, is also observed. Incontinence being the one with the most negative attitudes.
Dismissing Concerns: Attributing legitimate health complaints to “just old age” can result in overlooking treatable conditions.
Limited Treatment Options: Older adults may be excluded from certain treatments or procedures based solely on their age, regardless of their overall health status or potential benefits.
Negative Language: Using language synonymous with aging, but with negative connotations, words such as becoming ugly, weak or senile, all affect patients negatively.

These actions, whether intentional or not, can diminish the quality of care, reduce patient autonomy, and contribute to poorer health outcomes. Recognizing these subtle forms of ageism is the first step toward creating a more equitable healthcare system.

Taking Action Against Ageism

Combating ageism requires a multi-faceted approach involving individual awareness, educational initiatives, and systemic changes. By committing to these strategies, healthcare professionals can transform their practices and contribute to a more age-inclusive healthcare system where every patient receives the respect and care they deserve. As the population ages, combating ageism becomes not just an ethical imperative but a necessity for ensuring a healthier and more equitable future for all.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1177/1043659618810128, Alternate LINK

Title: Correlates Of Ageism Among Health Care Professionals Working With Older Adults

Subject: General Nursing

Journal: Journal of Transcultural Nursing

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Authors: Ziyafet Uğurlu, Sultan Kav, Azize Karahan, Ebru Akgün Çıtak

Published: 2018-11-02

Everything You Need To Know

What is Ageism and How Does it Impact Healthcare?

Ageism is discrimination against individuals based on their age. In healthcare, it manifests in various subtle ways, such as communication barriers where healthcare professionals may speak to family instead of the patient directly. It can also involve dismissing health concerns as 'just old age,' limiting treatment options based on age alone, and using negative language. The implications of ageism include diminished quality of care, reduced patient autonomy, and poorer health outcomes for older adults.

What are the different ways ageism shows up in healthcare?

The manifestations of ageism are present in various aspects of healthcare. One of the forms is Communication Barriers, where healthcare professionals may default to speaking with family members instead of directly engaging older patients. Another is related to Geriatric Syndromes, such as sleep disorders, pressure ulcers, and incontinence. Also, Attributing legitimate health complaints to 'just old age' can result in overlooking treatable conditions. Furthermore, Older adults may be excluded from certain treatments or procedures based solely on their age. Finally, Negative Language, using words synonymous with aging, but with negative connotations.

Why is ageism significant in the context of healthcare?

Ageism is significant because the world's population of adults aged 60 and over is nearly doubling. This demographic shift means more older adults will require healthcare. If healthcare professionals are affected by ageism, it creates barriers to providing quality care. These barriers can lead to reduced patient autonomy and poorer health outcomes. Addressing ageism is therefore crucial for ensuring that older adults receive the respect, dignity, and high-quality care they deserve, particularly as the older population grows.

What actions can healthcare professionals take to combat ageism?

Several actions can be taken against Ageism, it requires a multi-faceted approach involving individual awareness, educational initiatives, and systemic changes. Healthcare professionals can transform their practices and contribute to a more age-inclusive healthcare system where every patient receives the respect and care they deserve. This includes recognizing and addressing subtle forms of ageism like communication barriers, dismissing concerns, and limiting treatment options. It also involves understanding the root of ageism and adopting practical strategies to combat negative attitudes.

What are the negative implications of ageism on older adults?

Some of the negative implications of ageism on older adults are the diminished quality of care, reduced patient autonomy, and poorer health outcomes. When healthcare professionals exhibit ageist behaviors, older patients may not receive the respect, dignity, and high-quality care they need. This can lead to misunderstandings in care, overlooking treatable conditions, exclusion from beneficial treatments, and a general decrease in overall well-being. Overcoming ageism is critical for creating a healthcare system that values and supports all patients, regardless of age.