HalfLife-Reducing self-and other-directed ageism in the second half of life

HALFLIFE is a five-year research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC-2024-AdV, grant ID 101198899), led by Prof. Liat Ayalon. This initiative aims to develop impactful strategies to combat ageism worldwide.

HalfLife proposes groundbreaking, novel and innovative research to understand ageism (i.e., stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination towards people because of their age) in the second half of life (defined as age 60 and over) to unveil reliable interventions to reduce ageism. The adoption of an intragroup (from within) perspective acknowledges the agency of older persons rather than viewing them solely as victims of ageism. By moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach, HalfLife will develop a theoretically informed, personalised approach to tackling ageism in older persons. Unlike other “isms”, we are all bound to experience ageism if we live long enough. The evolving ageing demographics and the detrimental impact of ageism on society at large and older persons alike make the reduction of ageism a public health priority and 1 of 4 pillars of the UN Decade. This research project will improve the theory and practice of interventions against self- and other-directed ageism among older agents (targeters) of ageism by identifying the best interventions to reduce self- and other- ageism and recognising the multi-dimensional nature of ageism, including its implicit (unconscious) component. HalfLife will advance and integrate theory, research, and practice locally and globally, capitalising on knowledge derived from lay people, research, policy, and practice stakeholders. Relying on an intervention accelerator, we will conduct lab and field randomised controlled trial tournaments in three countries to develop a portfolio of effective interventions. To ensure the scale-up of the findings, we will develop and support Communities of Practice of practitioners and policy stakeholders at the local and global levels.