Asbury Communities launches campaign against ageism

What does it mean when someone tells older people to “act their age”? Asbury Communities, a non-profit senior living chain headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, thinks it should mean nothing less than for people at any age.

Asbury’s new national campaign, “What’s Age Got To Do With It?” is designed to challenge ageism and encourage older adults and their families to embrace the energy, passions, hobbies and important experiences older people can engage in every day.

The campaign drives an important social conversation about the value and abilities of older people, including myth-busters about what seniors are capable of, their sense of self and the importance of their community roles. “Although our physical abilities may change, aging doesn't mean we stop being ourselves,” says Asbury President and CEO Doug Leidig in the launch announcement. “We continue as before, enriched by our experiences.”

To celebrate, Asbury is harnessing social media to post videos, interviews and highlights of dozens of residents age 65 to 97 who are pursuing their lives with vigor and breaking down society’s stereotypes and expectations of older peoples’ capabilities and passions.

The multi-platform campaign just might change the way people view the contributions and engagement of seniors, Leidig says. “We want to change the way society views aging, retirement communities, and the people who choose to live in them.”

The campaign coincides with Older Americans Month and will continue through June.

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.