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Women Aging: Females Face More Discrimination, But More Optimistic About Getting Old, Report Finds

So Women Don't Mind Getting Older?
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Despite the belief that women should resent wrinkles and grey hair (and fight them every step of the way), it turns out many Canadian women don't mind aging at all.

According to The Revera Report on Ageism: A Look at Gender Differences, even though women over the age of 66 are more likely than men to be treated unfairly because of their age, both genders were optimistic about aging, and 61 per cent of women had an overall positive attitude about getting "old."

By contrast, 53 per cent of men were upbeat about aging.

“We have a tendency to treat all seniors as a homogenous group, but this research shows that even amongst men and women there are significant differences in their aging experience,” gerontologist Dr. Amy D’Aprix said in a statement.

“It also shows how complex the issue of ageism is. We not only need to be more age aware, we also have to be aware of the role that other factors, such as the intersection of ageism and sexism, may play in the experience of older women.”

According to the most recent Canadian census report, so-called "older" Canadians are living longer, working longer and avoiding the rocking chair. Canadians aged 65 or older grew by 14.1 per cent between 2006 and 2011 and seniors now account for 14.8 per cent of the population.

The Revera report, which surveyed 1,562 Canadians, also found seniors these days truly believe age is just a number, and growing older is associated with becoming wiser, happier and a better version of themselves.

How do you feel about growing older? Let us know in the comments below.

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