Older adults and the gender gap – Addressing Inequalities

An enormous amount of attention and public outcry has seen forward progress on correcting the gender gap. Women in the workplace, traditionally, have made substantially less than their male counterparts in the same profession. At times up to 30 percent less doing the same job.

Since this issue has come to light, there have been strong efforts by government and private industry to correct this trend and to bring equality to the workplace.

But one segment of the population seems to have been overlooked in all of this – older adults.

A study by the Centre for Ageing Better found “shameful” and jaw-dropping results when it comes to the living and financial conditions of females over the age of 65. Most have lower pensions compared to males and have a greater chance of being poorly housed, unhealthy and living in poverty.

The report also noted that older people who identify as part of LGBTQI communities and those from visible minorities are also disproportionately disadvantaged.

Older people who live in poverty and poor health are exponentially more likely to develop chronic illnesses and depression. All of which can impact society and in multiple ways including health care, social services and even taxation.

But how bad is it?

Can this trend be reversed or is it a matter of correcting it for future generations?

There are a lot of questions – – that’s where our experts can help. The International Federation on Ageing's Expert Centre has several experts who can speak to this subject. Simply click on one of their icons to arrange an interview.

Addressing Inequalities is one of the themes of the IFA 14th Global Conference on Ageing , which will be taking place in Toronto, Canada from 8-10 August 2018. Visit ifa2018.com to learn how the 14th Global Conference on Ageing will be addressing the many inequalities faced by older people today.

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