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Chapter 5
Impact of the age awareness workshop
•
Workshop participants shared various life experiences,
such as childhood observations, education, work and
relationships, which have contributed to shaping their
perceptions of ageing and older adults.
•
Whether consciously or unconsciously, our behaviour is
often guided by the assumptions and beliefs we hold. For
those working in aged care and community settings, their
interactions with clients may be influenced by their beliefs
about ageing and older adults.
•
Although respondents’ scores on validated measures
of ageism were relatively low prior to the workshop,
significant further reductions in ageist views were observed
immediately following the workshop. These decreases were
maintained at follow-up two to three months later.
•
After attending the workshop, respondents were less likely
to accept age-related declines in physical health, mental
health and cognitive function as the norm.
•
Although the workshop resulted in improving ageist
attitudes and ageing expectations among both CALD and
non-CALD respondents, those from CALD backgrounds
were more likely to endorse ageist views and have lower
expectations of ageing throughout the study. Due to the
relatively small number of CALD respondents, further
research is recommended to explore these differences.
•
No significant differences in outcomes were found between
participants who attended an online session and those who
attended in person.
•
Qualitative data from open-ended survey questions and
post-workshop discussions revealed that the workshop led
to positive changes not only in participants’ attitudes, but
also their behaviour.
•
Participants identified diverse groups of people who they
believed would benefit from taking part in the workshop.
Key
findings