Learning Lab: Challenging Ableism in Ageism Work
Date:
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Start time: 10 AM Pacific | 1 PM Eastern
End time: 11 AM Pacific | 2 PM Eastern
As we work to dismantle ageism, are we unintentionally reinforcing ableism? In this interactive Learning Lab, we’ll explore how the aging services field often promotes an ideal of “healthy,” “active,” and “independent” aging—narratives that can marginalize older adults who have disabilities and reinforce ableist norms. In this interactive and guided conversation, we’ll examine the complex intersection of ageism and ableism, uncover the ways these biases show up in policies, language, media, and even well-meaning campaigns, and reflect on how to shift our advocacy to be more inclusive of all older adults—especially those living with disabilities. Let’s rethink what it means to age well—and who is included in that vision.
Participants will:
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- Hear from thought leaders and peers working at the intersection of ageism and ableism
- Reflect on common assumptions about aging and ability
- Engage in dialogue and practice reframing narratives toward interdependence and equity
Presenters:
Colleen Arnold, CEO, Marin Aging and Disability Institute
Alison Barkoff, associate professor and program director at the Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University
Eli Gelardin, director, San Francisco Office on Disability and Accessibility
Tracey Gendron, executive director, Virginia Center on Aging
