Aging Is Not the Problem. Ageism Is. Ashton Applewhite Makes the Case That Changes Everything.

She found out that two-thirds of divorces are initiated by women — and was stunned. Then she found out that almost everything she believed about aging was equally wrong. That same question — why don't we know this? — made Ashton Applewhite the world's leading voice on ageism.IN THIS EPISODE:Why "old" should be a neutral word — and the shame we attach to it is the problem, not the ageThe U-curve of happiness: people are happiest at life's beginning and end — and whyOnly 2.5% of people over 65 are in nursing homes — and dementia rates keep droppingYale research: your attitudes toward aging affect your health at the cellular levelElder speak — what it is, why everyone hates it, and how to avoid itWhy "aging successfully" is ableist and sets us all up to failThe single greatest predictor of a good old age: not health, not wealth — your social networkThe shoe test for age diversity — and why making one older or younger friend is an anti-ageist actFree resources: Old School Hub, Wednesday office hours, "Aging Is Living" artworkEPISODE SUMMARY:Ashton Applewhite is entirely self-taught. She didn't start writing until her 40s or discover ageism until her mid-50s. Her TED Talk, her manifesto This Chair Rocks, and the Old School Hub she co-founded are the product of a researcher's rigor and a deep suspicion that cultural forces keep women in the dark on purpose. Under capitalism and in a sexist, ageist society, fear of aging is profitable. The facts are not.The facts: the U-curve proves people are happiest at life's beginning and end. Yale psychologist Becca Levy's research shows people with positive views of aging live 7.5 years longer. Loneliness rates are higher in young people than old. And discrimination, not age itself, is the problem. When you learn to see ageism in yourself, a veil lifts — and then you can do something about it.ABOUT ASHTON:Author of This Chair Rocks, TED speaker, co-founder of Old School Hub. Recognized by the United Nations, WHO, PBS Next Avenue, NYT, and NPR as an expert on ageism.CONNECT: thisChairRocks.com | oldschool.info | Wednesday office hours 1:30 ETCOMMUNITY: WeCanDoItWomen.comIf this episode lifted a veil, go to oldschool.info and join us at WeCanDoItWomen.com. A 5-star Apple Podcasts review helps more women find this show.