Celebrate Ageing, Challenge Ageism
Published on 09 October 2025
Members of the Federation Ageing Well Committee are launching their Challenge Ageism, Celebrate Ageing campaign to raise awareness about ageism.
Starting on October 9, Australia’s Ageism Awareness Day, the committee with support from Federation Council is rolling out their online campaign as a reminder to all that ageism is still rife within the Australian community. Ageism has a direct adverse impact on the lives of many people in such areas as aged care, provision of health services and employment and is a contributing factor to elder abuse.
The committee hope their campaign starts the conversation about what growing older in the Federation Council really looks like and by doing this help change public attitudes towards older people and their rights to fully participate and engage in community.
Committee members will launch their campaign with an education video on Council’s corporate social media channels along with a fun video of negative age stereotypes and perceptions of ageing, and the real facts.
On the Council website, Ageing Well Ambassador, Ann Nicol, Liz Seeliger and Mike Gardiner share their personal stories of returning to adult learning, finding meaningful employment post retirement and changing a lifetime of habits ensure they are heathier and happier.
“This is a great initiative of the Ageing Well Committee and I encourage everyone to celebrate the wealth of experience and skills that older people bring to our communities and economy, whether it is continued engagement in the workforce, volunteering, community work, participation in the arts or sports or caring for family,” said Mayor Cheryl Cook.
“We all have a role to play in driving change. We need to be mindful of phrases that we use to describe ageing and that perpetuate negative stereotypes, such as ‘you're too old for that’ or ‘you look good for your age’,” states the Mayor.
“Ageing is a natural experience that we all face; by changing the way we think and feel about this experience, we can all live healthier, happier lives.”
The Federation Ageing Well Committee challenges you, not matter what your age to recognise all people are different, and at different stages of their lives, and to try and avoid generalisation.
More information can be found on the Council website.