A new faculty-student book club launched by the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department and UVM’s Center on Aging aims to foster important conversations surrounding age-related stereotypes and challenge societal perceptions about aging. The club will read and discuss Breaking the Age Code by Becca Levy, Ph.D., which explores how beliefs about aging determine wellbeing and longevity. 

Ageism is a pervasive issue in society, and older adults are often unfairly stereotyped as being frail, technologically illiterate, or disengaged. Discussion facilitators, Julia Walberg, M.S., CCC-SLP and Marissa Birne, M.Ed., will encourage reflection on how we think and talk about aging and promote strategies to foster positive dialogue on the subject. 

“Dr. Levy really focuses on how the way we think about aging influences our experience of aging and our actual health," said Walberg, who teaches a class on communication differences and disorders in the media that addresses how perceptions of different groups of people can influence behavior toward them.

Through reading and discussing thought-provoking issues, participants will have the opportunity to dissect common stereotypes and engage in open dialogue about their real-world impact. “I often like to start a conversation by asking ‘Can you bring to mind one older person in your life who has made a positive difference in your life or has influenced your path in some way?" says Birne, who leads the UVM Center on Aging's educational programming. "Everybody can think of at least one person - whether it's a grandparent or an older neighbor or a mentor - whose qualities they really admire and respect. Part of our intention is to bring attention to examples of positive aging in our communities that we can learn from.”

Walberg and Birne hope to encourage empathy, understanding, and the breakdown of age-based barriers through the group, helping to create a community where age is celebrated rather than used as a dividing line. The goal is to inspire readers to challenge their assumptions and advocate for a more inclusive, age-diverse world. 

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Faculty-Student Book Club on Breaking the Age Code

WHEN: Thursday, February 20, and April 10 at 4 PM

WHERE: Williams Family Room (Davis Center 403)

DETAILS: Email aging@uvm.edu to request a copy of the readings. You can also review a summary of the book on this NPR podcast. If you require accommodation related to a disability, please contact UVM Student Accessibility Services at access@uvm.edu or (802) 656-7753.