Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
Navigating the Perfect Storm of Ageism, Mentalism, and Ableism: A Prevention Model
Kiran Rabheru1, Margaret Gillis2
1The Ottawa Hospital (KR), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; University of Ottawa (KR), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) (KR), Milwaukee, WI; Steering Group, Global Alliance on the Rights of Older People (GAROP) (KR), England, UK; International Longevity Centre (ILC) (KR, MG), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
Many of society's systemic implicit biases against older persons predate COVID-19. A perfect storm of these biases now rages against older persons much more explicitly and visibly during the COVID-19 pandemic. They comprise of blends of discrimination based on age ("ageism"), multiplied by the prejudice against persons with mental symptoms (mentalism), and by notions against persons with disabilities (ableism). The collective result of this tragedy has caused a devastating impact on older persons' lives and flagrant violation of their human rights. We explore the evidence to better understand the drivers of these biases and ways to mitigate their impact. We also review strategies to alleviate the effects of ageism, mentalism, and ableism using a prevention model.
Related Concept Videos
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Preventive Healthcare Services
Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
Concepts of Health and Illness

