“You look great for your age!”

A seemingly innocent compliment that’s woven with unintentional, casual ageism. Yes, you do look great. But why only for the number of candles on your last birthday cake?

Despite leaps and bounds being made to embrace the realities of getting older, ageism is still prevalent in the UK. And according to new research from the charity Centre for Ageing Better, over half of people aged 50+ believe the depiction of older people in the media and advertising is partly to blame, thanks to the negative stereotypes that do not reflect their lives.

“How we’re represented matters,” says Dr Carole Easton OBE, chief executive at the Centre for Ageing Better. “Some groups of older people are barely represented at all. These stereotypes make a difference to how society sees, thinks about and values people as they age.”

Are you unknowingly ageist? Charity warns negative stereotypes are fuelling ageism