Latest news with #ageism
Reuters
2 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Seeing the Unseen: Marie-Josée Lafontaine Fights Ageism With Soul-Centered Care at Scarborough Retirement Residence
TORONTO, Canada, July 28, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- In a world obsessed with youth and productivity, aging has quietly become a marginalized experience. Ageism, though subtle, is everywhere, on screens, in language, in how systems are designed. For Marie-Josée Lafontaine, owner of Scarborough Retirement Residence, opens new tab, that invisibility is one of the most dangerous forms of discrimination. 'I once asked my father what it felt like to be old,' she recalls. 'And he said, 'It feels invisible.' That answer never left me. It ignited something in me.' Her father, now 102 and still living in the community he helped build, represents a generation that built this country but now often goes unseen. Lafontaine, a second-generation elder care leader, is challenging the structures and language that reinforce this invisibility. 'We are taught to fear aging. We hide wrinkles, avoid tough conversations, and ignore the emotional needs of our elders,' she says. 'It's time we start naming ageism for what it is: a systemic failure to respect and recognize the value of aging.' Residents of Scarborough Retirement Residence At Scarborough Retirement Residence, Lafontaine's approach to combating ageism begins with what she calls soul-centered care. It's a philosophy that transcends the clinical, moving into the realm of human presence, emotional safety, and deep witnessing. 'Person-centered care is not enough,' she explains. 'It still keeps the focus on 'fixing' or managing. Soul-centered care asks: 'How do I show up for this person's full humanity?'' This is more than semantics; it's a shift in how we train staff, speak to residents, and design care environments. 'In this work, people can feel if you are just performing,' she says. 'Presence is different. Presence is when you stop, meet their eyes, and allow space for who they are.' That distinction between performance and presence sits at the heart of Lafontaine's leadership. She encourages her team to spend at least five minutes a day in real presence with a resident, no chart, no task, just connection. 'You would be surprised what those five minutes do,' she says. 'They say: 'I see you. You matter. You are not invisible here.'' The implications of ageism are not just emotional; they are structural. Seniors make up the fastest-growing age group in Canada. Yet, their representation in media and leadership remains disproportionately low. According to the research in 2024, 1 out of 10 Canadians, opens new tab who are aged 50 or older reported that they have experienced unjust treatment or prejudice within the last year due to their age. Lafontaine sees this reflected in all institutions and sectors of society. 'How many times do people speak to the staff and professionals instead of the individual? Or talk about someone instead of with them?' she asks. 'That's not just bad etiquette. That's ageism in action.' Her proposed solution is not just more services; it's a cultural reorientation. 'We need to shift from a clinical to a relational model. From managing care to holding space,' she says. She believes that in doing so, we not only improve outcomes but also restore dignity. 'This is about reverence. Indigenous cultures often treat elders as the wisdom holders, the final teachers. Why have we lost that?' To move in that direction, Lafontaine is urging both policy-level and personal change. She calls for the inclusion of seniors in design discussions, for representation in public discourse, and most importantly, for language that respects their full identities. 'We have to stop talking down and start leaning in,' she says. 'They are not our clients. They are our future selves.' Scarborough Boutique Retirement Residence She also draws a bold line between system design and moral imagination. 'If we want to change a broken system, we have to redesign it like we are redesigning it for ourselves,' she says. 'That's the level of empathy required. Because one day, you will be on the other side of the bedrail.' At Scarborough Retirement Residence, that mindset is operational. Staff undergo immersive training in trauma-informed care and reflective listening. Community spaces are co-designed with residents. And more than once, Lafontaine has personally intervened when communication styles became dismissive or rushed. 'I lead by being present,' she says. 'And I expect the same of those around me.' She also reminds us that change doesn't have to start with grand gestures. 'Sometimes it's as simple as asking a resident, 'What is one of your favorite vacation memories? What made you laugh as a kid?' These questions open doors. They bring life back into the room.' In a society that often defines value by speed, youth, and productivity, Marie-Josée Lafontaine offers a radical invitation: to slow down, to witness, to revere. Her soul-centered leadership is a quiet revolution, but it's a powerful one, and urgently needed. About Scarborough Retirement Residence Scarborough Retirement Residence is a boutique, family-owned community in Toronto, Ontario, offering soul-centered, relationship-based care for older adults. Owned by Marie-Josée Lafontaine, a second-generation elder care leader, the residence champions dignity, visibility, and emotional presence for Canada's aging population. Lafontaine's leadership challenges ageism and redefines care as an act of reverence and human connection. For more information, visit opens new tab. Media Contact Marie-Josée Lafontaine consciousleadershipinfo@ ### SOURCE: Scarborough Retirement Residence Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
SBS Australia
23-07-2025
- Business
- SBS Australia
How to Challenge Discrimination Against Old Age in The Workforce
LISTEN TO SBS Indonesian 23/07/2025 04:17 Indonesian The study also found while half of employers responding to the survey find it difficult to fill vacancies, just 56 per cent of them say they are to a large extent open to hire workers aged 50 to 64. One way to counter ageism is to allow people of various ages to work together. Listen to SBS Indonesian every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 3pm. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram , and don't miss our podcasts .
Forbes
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Jennifer Love Hewitt's Red Carpet Experience Exposes This Paradox
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 14: Jennifer Love Hewitt attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia ... More Pictures 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' at The United Theater on Broadway on July 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic) Last week, Jennifer Love Hewitt stepped onto the red carpet for the Los Angeles premiere of I Know What You Did Last Summer. When photos of Hewitt in a black spaghetti-strap dress hit the internet, a wave of ageist and body-shaming commentary quickly ensued online. The comments specifically compared her current body to how audiences remember her looking when she played the character of Julie James in the original I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. At the time she played Julie, Hewitt was just 18 years old. Even then, she was already no stranger to having her body scrutinized. She recalls experiences like grown men talking to her about her breasts openly on a talk show when she was 16. Has Hewitt gone full circle from being hypersexualized at 18 to being slammed for aging at 46, or are body-shaming and hypersexualization – though seemingly opposite – just two sides of the same coin? Herein lies the paradox. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 14: (L-R) Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jennifer Love Hewitt, ... More Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Sarah Pidgeon and Gabriette Bechtel attend the premiere of Columbia Pictures' 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' at The United Theater on Broadway on July 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) Our culture teaches women and girls that being sexualized is a positive outcome and body-shaming is a negative one. We'd be better served, however, by understanding that at the core, both of these are fueled by and lead to dehumanization. Dr. Caroline Heldman, sociologist and author of The Sexy Lie, pointed out in a 2013 TEDx talk 'Hypersexualization and body-shaming are both mechanisms of control. One demands a woman to be 'sexy enough,' the other punishes her for being 'too much.' Either way, she loses.' Sexual objectification reinforces harmful stereotypes about women and contributes to a culture of gender inequality. It can also lead to low self-esteem and increase tolerance for sexist attitudes and violence against women. Body-shaming and hypersexualization often work together to reinforce harmful norms. They may appear opposite — one criticizes the body, the other puts it on display — but both diminish a person's selfhood or personhood to how they look. It's 2025, and we're still living in a culture that believes that inappropriate sexualization and criticism are the justifiable price that women should pay if they are visible to the public in any way. It's important to recognize that beliefs like these simply don't have any place in our society. Furthermore, they don't just harm the mental health of celebrities like Hewitt, they teach all women and girls that they can expect to be evaluated harshly if they step into the spotlight. Jennifer Love Hewitt attends the Hollywood Premiere of 'Can't Hardly Wait' at Mann's Chinese Theatre ... More in Hollywood, California, 2nd June 1998. (Photo by) Hewitt has spoken candidly about the lasting impact of feeling so much scrutiny. She has shared that she hadn't ever felt truly insecure until the paparazzi took photographs of her during a vacation to Hawaii in 2007. Those images were published under the harsh headline, 'Stop Calling Me Fat!' She recalled, 'I don't think I was ever really insecure until that cover… I don't know that I've ever recovered from it… I really wanted to be a good actor, and I was trying to outact the conversation around my body.' HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 17: Actor Jennifer Love Hewitt attends the Paley Center For Media's ... More 2019 PaleyFest LA - "9-1-1" at Dolby Theatre on March 17, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/WireImage) Hewitt's professional credits go far beyond the iconic horror franchise that helped define her career in the late 1990s. The actress is also a producer (Time of Your Life, Audrey Hepburn Story, Ghost Whisperer, The Client List, The Lost Valentine), director (Ghost Whisperer, The Client List), author (The Day I Shot Cupid, published in 2010 and Inheriting Magic, published in 2024), songwriter (BareNaked), and comic creator (Music Box). Fixating on her appearance is a product of sexist expectations that tell us again and again that women's bodies matter more than anything they accomplish. The criticism that Hewitt experienced following her red carpet moment also inspired a wave of support and meaningful discussion on social media, with many commentors rallying around the power of body respect. Hewitt's own willingness to speak out against ageism and body obsession also offers a powerful counter-narrative as she continues her journey in Hollywood.
Fox News
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Gerry Turner warns new 'Golden Bachelor' he's making a serious mistake with controversial age cutoff
"Golden Bachelor" alum Gerry Turner is certain the show's new lead, Mel Owens, will be "cheating himself" if he decides to pursue his controversial plan of cutting contestants who are "60 and over." "I think it would be unfortunate, and I really think he will have a change of heart in this. I think he will see the grace and the charm of women who are over 60 and the confidence they carry, and I think he'll have a change of heart," Turner, 73, told Fox News Digital of Owens — who recently took fans by surprise when he admitted his plans to eliminate any woman on the show who is over 60 years old. "The people that I met in my season, I go through them, and it's like, they're all a gift. To have gotten to know them… Each and every one of them [brought] some unique characteristics to the show, unique characteristics to life." "The age thing… ignore the number, deal with the person," Turner added. During an appearance on the "In The Trenches" podcast in June, Owens, 66, opened up about the age limitations he allegedly requested ahead of casting. "It's blind up until they get out of the limo. But they asked me, 'What's your preferences?' So, I just said 45 to 60, just being honest," he said. "And then the process went, and I was selected, right? And then we had lunch with the executive producer. I said, 'You know, if they're 60 or over, I'm cutting them.' 'Oh Mel, you can't, you know, this is not the 'Silver Bachelor.' It's the 'Golden Bachelor.' He goes, 'But they're going to be hot, don't worry about it. Don't worry about it.'" Additionally, Owens said he expects the contestants to all be in good shape. WATCH: 'GOLDEN BACHELOR' GERRY TURNER SAYS NEW LEAD WILL BE 'CHEATING HIMSELF' IF HE CUTS WOMEN 60 AND OVER "I had no resume, but they asked me, what is my, like, my profile?" Owens said. "Well, they got to be fit because I stay in shape. [They] should work out and stuff. And I told them, you know, try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff, right? "Well, I don't think there are going to be artificial hips or wigs there, right? Because I know there's amazing women out there." Turner said he's confident ABC wouldn't cast a lead who is that "shallow." "His comments about anybody that's had a hip replacement or has a wig or anything like that, I really don't believe that the ABC producers in casting, particularly casting that I have a high level of confidence with, I don't think they would be casting a person who has that shallow of a perspective. I think some of [Owens' comments] requires some context, and it may have been taken out of context and so forth." "But bottom line is, I hope he does look at it differently because if he doesn't, I think he'll be cheating himself." During the first season of the show, the ladies vying for Turner's heart were between 60 and 75 years old. Turner married contestant Theresa Nist shortly after the finale, but the couple got divorced three months later. Despite the failed relationship, Turner is grateful for his experience and hopes Owens can take a page from his playbook. "If he treats each and every one of them with courtesy and respect and is a good listener, pays attention to them and so forth, and ignores their age number, I think it'll be fine," said Turner. "Everyone that gets thrown into this situation has to find their own way. I was fortunate enough, I had very good mentoring on the show. I had people that carefully moved me through some of the pitfalls that maybe Mel hasn't quite avoided as much because I remember specifically being told just, 'Gerry, ignore the age thing,' that 'You'll really find beautiful women of all ages in the show.' And I think he will as well." These days, Turner — who was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer last year — has found love again and is living life to the fullest. WATCH: 'GOLDEN BACHELOR' GERRY TURNER GUSHES ABOUT HIS NEW LOVE, SAYS SHE MAKES LIFE 'EVEN BETTER' "I decided that I wasn't going to say 'no' to anything," Turner said of his change in perspective after his diagnosis. "Anything that came along, any trip, any chance to have fun, anything that I could do, I was going to take it on. Because I felt myself, even before the diagnosis, I was starting to get to that couch potato point where it was a little nicer to sit at home and do nothing than go out and fight whatever challenge it was to travel. And that's really been quite a change for me." "So now something comes along, I say 'yes' to it," he added. "I'm going to go. I'm going to do. So every day is a gift." Turner, who recently started dating Indiana native Lana Sutton, said he's "happy" with where his life is taking him now. "She has more energy than I do. She needs less sleep than I do. I really think she's a more logical thinker than I am, which I think that's a lot. But the nice part is we think and we approach things very similarly, so we don't have any conflicts as we're trying to make decisions and so forth. We generally arrive at the same place, sometimes not the same way, but usually the same place." "With Lana now in the picture, she makes [life] even better. It's so good to have a partner that understands and is in it with you 100% and so forth. So it took me a while to get to this point, but I'm pretty happy with where I am."
Fox News
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Gerry Turner warns new 'Golden Bachelor' he's making a serious mistake with controversial age cutoff
"Golden Bachelor" alum Gerry Turner is certain the show's new lead, Mel Owens, will be "cheating himself" if he decides to pursue his controversial plan of cutting contestants who are "60 and over." "I think it would be unfortunate, and I really think he will have a change of heart in this. I think he will see the grace and the charm of women who are over 60 and the confidence they carry, and I think he'll have a change of heart," Turner, 73, told Fox News Digital of Owens — who recently took fans by surprise when he admitted his plans to eliminate any woman on the show who is over 60 years old. "The people that I met in my season, I go through them, and it's like, they're all a gift. To have gotten to know them… Each and every one of them [brought] some unique characteristics to the show, unique characteristics to life." "The age thing… ignore the number, deal with the person," Turner added. During an appearance on the "In The Trenches" podcast in June, Owens, 66, opened up about the age limitations he allegedly requested ahead of casting. "It's blind up until they get out of the limo. But they asked me, 'What's your preferences?' So, I just said 45 to 60, just being honest," he said. "And then the process went, and I was selected, right? And then we had lunch with the executive producer. I said, 'You know, if they're 60 or over, I'm cutting them.' 'Oh Mel, you can't, you know, this is not the 'Silver Bachelor.' It's the 'Golden Bachelor.' He goes, 'But they're going to be hot, don't worry about it. Don't worry about it.'" Additionally, Owens said he expects the contestants to all be in good shape. WATCH: 'GOLDEN BACHELOR' GERRY TURNER SAYS NEW LEAD WILL BE 'CHEATING HIMSELF' IF HE CUTS WOMEN 60 AND OVER "I had no resume, but they asked me, what is my, like, my profile?" Owens said. "Well, they got to be fit because I stay in shape. [They] should work out and stuff. And I told them, you know, try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff, right? "Well, I don't think there are going to be artificial hips or wigs there, right? Because I know there's amazing women out there." Turner said he's confident ABC wouldn't cast a lead who is that "shallow." "His comments about anybody that's had a hip replacement or has a wig or anything like that, I really don't believe that the ABC producers in casting, particularly casting that I have a high level of confidence with, I don't think they would be casting a person who has that shallow of a perspective. I think some of [Owens' comments] requires some context, and it may have been taken out of context and so forth." "But bottom line is, I hope he does look at it differently because if he doesn't, I think he'll be cheating himself." During the first season of the show, the ladies vying for Turner's heart were between 60 and 75 years old. Turner married contestant Theresa Nist shortly after the finale, but the couple got divorced three months later. Despite the failed relationship, Turner is grateful for his experience and hopes Owens can take a page from his playbook. "If he treats each and every one of them with courtesy and respect and is a good listener, pays attention to them and so forth, and ignores their age number, I think it'll be fine," said Turner. "Everyone that gets thrown into this situation has to find their own way. I was fortunate enough, I had very good mentoring on the show. I had people that carefully moved me through some of the pitfalls that maybe Mel hasn't quite avoided as much because I remember specifically being told just, 'Gerry, ignore the age thing,' that 'You'll really find beautiful women of all ages in the show.' And I think he will as well." These days, Turner — who was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer last year — has found love again and is living life to the fullest. WATCH: 'GOLDEN BACHELOR' GERRY TURNER GUSHES ABOUT HIS NEW LOVE, SAYS SHE MAKES LIFE 'EVEN BETTER' "I decided that I wasn't going to say 'no' to anything," Turner said of his change in perspective after his diagnosis. "Anything that came along, any trip, any chance to have fun, anything that I could do, I was going to take it on. Because I felt myself, even before the diagnosis, I was starting to get to that couch potato point where it was a little nicer to sit at home and do nothing than go out and fight whatever challenge it was to travel. And that's really been quite a change for me." "So now something comes along, I say 'yes' to it," he added. "I'm going to go. I'm going to do. So every day is a gift." Turner, who recently started dating Indiana native Lana Sutton, said he's "happy" with where his life is taking him now. "She has more energy than I do. She needs less sleep than I do. I really think she's a more logical thinker than I am, which I think that's a lot. But the nice part is we think and we approach things very similarly, so we don't have any conflicts as we're trying to make decisions and so forth. We generally arrive at the same place, sometimes not the same way, but usually the same place." "With Lana now in the picture, she makes [life] even better. It's so good to have a partner that understands and is in it with you 100% and so forth. So it took me a while to get to this point, but I'm pretty happy with where I am."
