Dr. Gail Christopher’s Compelling Washington Monthly Column Calls For an End to Ageism

Dr. Gail C. Christopher

In the column, Dr. Christopher argues that Americans must call out ageism and not tolerate it.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Dr. Gail Christopher, an author and award-winning advocate for social change with expertise in the social determinants of health and related public policies, recently published a column in Washington Monthly detailing her anguish that “Ageism” remains one of the few forms of accepted discrimination in America.

The comprehensive article highlights the significant accomplishments of Presidents Joe Biden and Donald J. Trump despite their perceived advancement in years. It goes on to explain the many reasons why ageism, like other forms of discrimination, is a wrongheaded notion that needs to be eradicated.

“Bias against the elderly is the hardest to eliminate,” writes Dr. Christopher, the executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity. The 2024 presidential election cycle invites us to call on our better angels and demonstrate more compassion and regard for ourselves and our future selves, recognizing that we will all become elderly at some point.”

According to the Administration for Community Living, individuals over 65 are the fastest-growing demographic segment in America and are expected to reach 80.8 million by 2040. Because the average life expectancy has expanded, for the first time in public health and medical history, researchers can study large numbers of the elderly over long periods or conduct longitudinal studies. The research reveals that people with positive attitudes and expectations about aging are less likely to manifest mental and physical degeneration. In fact, the evidence suggests that older elected officials can still lead well into their later years.

Demonstrating a powerful impact on everyday Americans, the Biden-Harris administration has had two of the strongest years of job growth in history, aided over 30 million borrowers with student debt relief, and invested in infrastructure in all 50 states, the capitol, U.S. territories, and throughout tribal nations. Trump’s White House also claims several major accomplishments, including the creation of 7 million new jobs, the rebuilding of rural America, and $3.2 trillion in historic tax relief. Elderly presidents led both administrations.

“The stamina, courage, and patriotism required to be the president deserve respect and should not be subjected to any isms–racism, sexism, and certainly not ageism,” she writes. “The world’s complex challenges require experience and must be addressed with wisdom, both of which are acquired through decades of dedication and public service. The idiocy of ageism should not taint these accomplishments and attributes.”

Dr. Christopher’s column urges more Americans to call out ageism and not to tolerate it. The record shows President Biden has shepherded the country through the final years of a devastating pandemic while safely securing the economy. It’s unwise to condone armchair diagnoses based on biased perceptions about the dynamics of health and aging. A personal physician or healthcare provider is the only one qualified to determine the health and fitness of a person in a leadership position.

To read Dr. Gail Christopher’s article “Stop Ageism: A Call For Action,” click HERE or go to https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/03/22/stop-ageism-a-call-for-action/

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(Dr. Gail C. Christopher is the Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity, Senior Scholar at the Center for Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University, and former Senior Advisor and Vice President of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. She led the development and launch of TRHT at the Kellogg Foundation in 2017. Her new book, RX-Racial Healing, is available HERE. )
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(For print or broadcast interviews with Dr. Christopher, please contact Michael Frisby at [email protected] or 202-625-4328.)

About NCHE
Founded in 2014, NCHE was established to promote health equity through action, leadership, inclusion, and collaboration. We work to create environments that foster the best possible health outcomes for all populations, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or nativity. NCHE also works to improve conditions for health and well-being, including housing, education, income and wealth, and the physical and social environment. Further, it is imperative that we address historical and contemporary structural, institutional, and interpersonal racism, which fuels inequities in our society.

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