Old age is not a mark of stigma. Rather than a sentence to be feared, aging is a release, a golden time. Retirees are often happier than they have been since they were children and the average American over 65 lives independently. Why, then, is old age personally feared and culturally derided? Why is it seen as a time of slowing down when we are finding an increasing number of aging adults continuing to be a major component of the workforce?
In our thoughts and conversations, on the television, and in the glances of passersby, we see the narrowed eye of ageism, the last socially sanctioned prejudice. As with any prejudice, ageism must be resisted, its tenets obviated by the light of education. And Ashton Applewhite, with her new book This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism, has emerged as a leader in that fight.
Applewhite has been hard at work spreading her message across the country—and the globe. With an op-ed in the New York Times on Labor Day, a keynote at the United Nations last October, and a TED talk this January, Ashton has generated interest and support for her compelling viewpoint. It’s no coincidence she was recently named a 2016 Influencer of the Year by the PBS site Next Avenue. Now, she’s coming to the Bay Area.
Institute on Aging is pleased to offer an informal discussion with Ashton Applewhite, focused on dispelling myth after myth about late life and proposing an alternative: wake up, cheer up, and push back. She’s as funny as she is fierce, and we think she’ll change the way you think about the rest of your life.
The talk will be held at Institute on Aging, 3575 Geary Boulevard in San Francisco, Monday, February 13th, at 7pm. Doors open at 6:15. Limited street parking is available, but IOA is conveniently located near public transit. RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE in advance at https://ashtonchair.eventbrite.com. Tickets are $15 general admission, or free for students and seniors (65+). Ashton’s manifesto will be on sale at the event thanks to neighborhood book vendor, Books Inc., Laurel Village. Contact Caitlin Morgan, Senior Education Specialist, at cmorgan@instituteonagi.wpenginepowered.com or (415) 750-4114 with questions or for additional event information.
