I empathise with Mr Eric Yip in his letter, “Help retrenched young seniors get back into the workforce” (Feb 21).

It is more difficult for older people to find jobs because of all the stereotyping about their capacities, focusing more on what they can no longer do as older people instead of looking at the upside of being older.

Media is such a powerful tool, and it continually promotes youth in so many ways, such as a cream that will make your skin look younger and movies that celebrate being young and in love for the first time. 

In contrast, the commercials for older people focus on haemorrhoids, arthritis, memory loss and other ailments that plague old age.

Economically, experience only goes so far, so the employer sees that as a case of diminishing returns after a certain point. There is another commonly held belief that older people are too entrenched in their ways, and will be less susceptible to new ideas or to new technology. That is not altogether unfounded, but it does not apply to everybody.

Then there is the distinct possibility of ill health. Employers must ask themselves: “Is this person a good investment? Will they need time off for illness? Can I depend on them?”

Ageism is a prevalent global problem that contributes to poor health, social isolation, cognitive decline and high economic costs. Younger workers often assume that the old have had their turn and should make way for the younger generation. 

As the number of young seniors and older adults continues to increase, finding ways to minimise ageism will become more important.

Layoffs – which is just another euphemism for retrenchment – that target workers of certain age groups and lack of promotions for older workers are also clear signs of ageism.

We should always remember our older workforce, not just for the contributions they have made to Singapore, but more so for what they can still do.

Robert Cheng