Many younger persons do not have much experience in thinking about or dealing with older persons. Older people have many life stories, all filled with adventure and challenge. Educating younger people about some of the viewpoints and some of the issues faced by older people is a great way of sharing these unique life stories.
The following are ideas for classroom activities that incorporate issues related to older persons into specific subject areas:
Social Studies
Look at how family patterns have changed - more families have more older people in them now, many grandparents work as primary caregivers, many families are nuclear or headed by a single parent. What is the impact of poverty on older persons? What are the social costs of an ageing population on the Canadian health care system? on the family? on individuals? What are the gender implications of ageing? Do different age groups face different prejudices? If so, why? Draw your family tree or Canada's family tree.
Geography/World Issues 
Compare ageing policies and ageing statistics in different countries. Look at common characteristics of countries with large numbers of older persons such as health systems, education levels, poverty and employment potential. Compare the roles of older persons in different cultures/countries. Compile information about older people living in urban and rural areas, in both developing and developed countries. Where do most older people live? Why?
English 
Look at literature produced over an author's lifetime. Has the author's work style changed over time? Write a book report about a book written by an older person. Give examples of stereotypes of specific age groups perpetuated in literature. How can we change or dismantle myths and stereotypes of ageing? Are there some issues that all generations share? What are they?
History 
What events led to the UN adoption of the International Action Plan on Ageing? What changes in the world's ageing population have taken place in last 50 years? Has our treatment of older persons in society changed over time? How have the concepts and notions of youth/old age evolved over time? Look at historic moments in which older people have participated. Give examples of some of the contributions of older persons to the world. How has technology/modernization changed our world? Do we think of certain objects as aged/too ancient to use today?
Arts 
Create an image of multigenerations or older persons. Create an artistic representation of an oral history that you have listened to. Give examples of art produced by older persons. List older musicians and performers and their work. How are older persons represented in the media? Develop an advertising/marketing scheme for the same product aimed at different age groups. Look at changes in architectural styles over the last 50 years. Have any styles aged well/are still in use? Look at the popularity of certain themes in various media (theatre/fashion/books/song) over time. Do these themes tend to have a particular life-span?
Sciences 
Why do people age? What are some of visible signs of ageing? What are some of the reasons people are living longer? Look at medicine and the challenges of increasing longevity. Look at the use of new technologies by older persons. Give examples of contributions of scientists in older years. How do plants/objects age? Is it the same as in people? How has our Environment aged in the last 50 years?
Business 
What are some of the rights of older persons in the workplace? What are some of the stereotypical jobs held by older persons? younger persons? Why? What are some of the projected impacts of an ageing society on business? How can businesses adapt to a more active ageing community? Give examples of some of the characteristics of consumers in specific age groups.
Drama 
Create a dramatization of prejudices/stereotypes faced by older persons. Look at the treatment of various themes in theatre/film by different generations. Do certain age groups tend to work with certain themes? Create a representation of the UN Principles for Older Persons
Law 
Look at the International Action Plan on Ageing, What entitlements does it confer on older persons? Look at the UN Principles for Older Persons. How is it different from the Action Plan? What principles does it confer on older persons? What rights do older persons have? What are the rights of those persons caring for an older person full-time? Consider the impact that a law might have on different age groups. List the benefits and detriments of a will. Do some types of crime happen more frequently to older persons? If so, why?
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