In this profession as an expert by experience, advanced age and life experience are an asset, even though in our society age discrimination tends to begin already around the age of forty. Age discrimination is talked about, but little is actually done to counter it. The fact that an individual has experience of something should, by default, be considered a positive thing.
People also talk about so-called tacit knowledge in workplaces, which is at risk of disappearing when experienced employees retire. In such cases, good practices are not passed on to younger colleagues or the employer. In my view, however, experience is generally well valued in the social and healthcare field, including among therapists, doctors, experts by experience, supervisors, and those working in vocations such as clergy.
It was different when I was young! In job interviews, questions about plans to start a family were common, and other forms of age discrimination were also directed at women of childbearing age. Today, fortunately, asking such discriminatory questions at work is not allowed. I wonder if this earlier practice stemmed from the idolization of youth, which nowadays can take unhealthy and even dramatic forms in the pursuit of altering one’s face and body. In any case, age discrimination in general conflicts with the stated goal of extending working careers.
Experience can take many forms: good, neutral, or difficult. Positive, constructive, and even transformative experiences enrich a workplace. Negative experiences, on the other hand, may weigh heavily on a person, sometimes even paralyzing them. But it is comforting to know that the past does not define the present—and even a difficult experience can be turned into a strength.
I want to believe that “today I am living the best time of my life so far.” The fact is, life expectancy continues to rise. I see no reason to lament “I am only / already this age.” What matters most at every stage of life is valuing one’s own expertise—and making it visible!
