Belgian organisations working with older people have launched a new tool to help seniors recognise age discrimination, violations of their rights, and potential abuse.
The initiative, unveiled on Monday by groups including Infor Homes and Respect Seniors, takes the form of an "ageism meter" – a colour-coded guide designed to help users assess everyday situations that may reflect ageism or mistreatment.
Inspired by the "violentometer", a tool commonly used to identify abusive behaviour in relationships, the ageism meter uses a scale ranging from green to red to highlight behaviours such as infantilisation, social invisibility, humiliating remarks and other forms of discrimination often experienced by older people.
The launch comes against a backdrop of widespread age-based discrimination in Belgium. According to figures from Unia, half of the people aged 70 and over reported experiencing discrimination based on their age during the past 12 months.
The organisations behind the project say the tool is intended not only for older people themselves but also for relatives, carers and professionals working with seniors.
They hope it will help initiate conversations about difficult experiences, encourage reflection on behaviour that is often normalised, and direct people towards support services when necessary.
A total of 10,000 copies of the ageism meter will be distributed free of charge across the French-speaking part of Belgium from Monday.
The tool will be made available to older people, care professionals and support organisations, with a Dutch-language version expected to follow in the coming months.
