Equality and Diversity in Ageing: Impact of Multiple Identities

This paper explores the general stereotypes and assumptions often associated with growing older, and which all too often portray older people as a collective body sharing common attributes of ageing (physical, mental and emotional), often accompanied by low social and economic status, with little or no potential to develop new skills, knowledge and interests in later life. By drawing on social gerontological thinking, matters relating to equality and diversity in ageing will be considered alongside ideas about communities of interest and self-representation. Finally, this paper gives some examples of good practice of equality and diversity in ageing as shown by Age Concern Scotland, the national organisation working to promote older people, age and ageing. Grey Matters Declining birth rates and increased life expectancy across the globe are mirrored in UK demographic data, which shows marked changes in the age structure of the population. However, unlike the rest of the UK, Scotland ha