An Opinion piece by Ling Sing Lin
Ageism
This is prejudice or discrimination because of a person’s age. Although it refers also to ageism against the young, traditionally it refers to the old.
According to a WHO official, Kazuki Yamada, globally, 50% of the people are ageist against older people, with lower and lower-middle income countries having the highest rates.
Professor Tommy Koh, in 2021, quoted Halimah Yacob, when she was the Speaker of Parliament as saying that “We are still an ageist society.”
Ageism in the Workplace
Ageism is prevalent in the workplace, with older workers bearing the brunt of age discrimination. Elderly workers are perceived to be slow, stubborn, and less adaptable, especially in the high-technology environment.
Age Discrimination
In Singapore, whenever anyone applies for a job, his age is invariably checked. Singapore employers sometimes deftly get around the age issue by asking for the NRIC, “for administrative purposes”. Such a practice is illegal in some countries like Australia, Canada and New Zealand, under the Age Discrimination Act. In Singapore, however, workplace age discrimination applies to termination of an employee’s service solely on the grounds of his age before the statutory retirement age (currently set at 63 years). Singapore’s age discrimination is silent about the age at recruitment, but refers to age at dismissal.
We hear frequently of people having difficulty finding a job after 50 years of age, sometimes even less than 50. Does this mean that Singapore is more ageist than the Western nations? In the area of employment, my view is that Singapore is ageist. However, to my mind, Singapore scores top marks for its form of positive ageism. What is this?
Positive Ageism
Positive ageism celebrates rather than denigrates older ages. This is done through our generous Senior Discounts, which are considered a sign of respect and a token of appreciation for past services.
Discounts and Benefits for Singapore Residents
Singapore has a wide range of goods and services where it is beneficial to be elderly (usually defined as 60 years but some organizations use 55 years). Price concessions are granted to the Silver Generation, the Pioneer Generation, the Merdeka Generation, and other similar euphemisms used.
-Groceries and supermarkets offer 2-3% off the bill on certain defined days of the week
-Public transportation on trains and buses offer senior discounts
-Telcos have special plans for seniors
-Popular attractions like museums, wildlife and nature parks have special rates for seniors
-Movie tickets are discounted for those 55 years and above
-Gyms and wellness facilities
-Pharmacies and health retailers.
Senior Discounts in other countries
Both Asian and Western countries do offer some Senior discounts.
My personal experience was when I was in the US. I had brought my grandkids to a privately run “supermarket role play for kids”, where accompanying adults had to pay the hefty entrance fee as well. For once I saw a sign showing a senior discount, which applied to a discount for only those 100 years old and above, and for just a few dollars!
Take Home Message
I believe workplace ageism is not going away anytime soon. In fact, middle aged people, and not just the elderly, are already feeling its effects in this fast paced world.
We just have to continue to adapt in this world, or we will be left behind.
In the meantime, enjoy your senior discounts!
With thanks to Unsplash for the feature image
lingsinglin
Dr Ling Sing Lin is a medical doctor by training. She worked in MOH HQ for many years, in policy making and administrative positions, until her retirement.
