There, but Not There: Older People in Anti-Ageism Interventions

Abstract There is growing attention to anti-ageism interventions, and evidence is mounting that education and contact with older people can reduce ageism. Yet outcomes in these interventions focus mainly on younger people and service providers, although older people are essential ingredients in the interventions. We argue that the lack of attention to older adults is a missed opportunity to improve older participants’ attitudes toward younger people and perhaps attain other benefits from intergenerational engagement. We repurposed the systematic review of Apriceno and Levy (2023) that focused on interventions to reduce ageism toward older people, and we studied the roles and outcomes experienced by the older participants in these interventions. Systematic attention to older participants is lacking, and their experiences and outcomes are not usually considered. In the small number of studies that assessed older participants, the results are promising. However, weaknesses in theoretical and empirical approaches abound in this literature. We urge scholars to elevate attention to older participants in anti-ageism interventions, develop programs with clear theoretical foundations as to outcomes expected for older as well as younger participants, and strengthen research designs and measurement, with the goal of promoting a more collaborative and inclusive society across all age groups.