Findings from the media scan confirm that a considerable volume of media content focuses on stories which portray older people as victims – older people were most often mentioned in the analysed news ‘unknown’ and current affairs coverage as the victims of crime. 52% of those aged 18-54 years agree that older people are more likely to be victims and there is evidence that this negative attitude is driven to a considerable degree by the media. Lonely and isolated: The perception that older people are lonely and isolated also appears to be heavily influenced by media (both print and visual), although personal experience also has a role to play. Six in ten (63%) of respondents feel that stories they see in the media have an influence on their perception that older people are lonely and isolated and a similar proportion (60%) feel that stories they read in the media have an influence. However, two-thirds (65%) also feel that their personal experience has contributed to their belief that older people are lonely or isolated. This is in contrast to the findings from the media scan. In both mainstream news media and advertising, older people are rarely presented as isolated, alone or lonely. In news media, they are almost as likely to be pictured in a social or public setting as in a domestic or private setting. However, findings from the qualitative phase show a strong link between the concepts of physical frailty, victimisation and the concept that older people are isolated and lonely. In many ways, one results in the other from a participant view – if an older person is afraid of being victimised or if they are too frail to leave the house, then their ability to socially engage is directly affected. Personal experience and the media have a strong More likely to be sick: influence on the perception that older people are more likely to be sick. More than half (58%) of respondents feel that stories they read in the media have an influence on this perception and a similar proportion (61%) feel that stories they see in the media have an influence. Personal experience is most likely to influence this perception, with 68% stating that this is influential in attitude formation.
Findings from the media scan confirm that a considerable volume of media content focuses on stories which portray older people as victims – ‘unknown’ older people were most often mentioned in the analysed news and current affairs coverage as the victims of crime. 52% of those aged 18-54 years agree that older people are more likely to be victims and there is evidence that this negative attitude is driven to a considerable degree by the media. Lonely and isolated: The perception that older people are lonely and isolated also appears to be heavily influenced by media (both print and visual), although personal experience also has a role to play. Six in ten (63%) of respondents feel that stories they see in the media have an influence on their perception that older people are lonely and isolated and a similar proportion (60%) feel that stories they read in the media have an influence. However, two-thirds (65%) also feel that their personal experience has contributed to their belief that older people are lonely or isolated. This is in contrast to the findings from the media scan. In both mainstream news media and advertising, older people are rarely presented as isolated, alone or lonely. In news media, they are almost as likely to be pictured in a social or public setting as in a domestic or private setting. However, findings from the qualitative phase show a strong link between the concepts of physical frailty, victimisation and the concept that older people are isolated and lonely. In many ways, one results in the other from a participant view – if an older person is afraid of being victimised or if they are too frail to leave the house, then their ability to socially engage is directly affected. More likely to be sick: Personal experience and the media have a strong influence on the perception that older people are more likely to be sick. More than half (58%) of respondents feel that stories they read in the media have an influence on this perception and a similar proportion (61%) feel that stories they see in the media have an influence. Personal experience is most likely to influence this perception, with 68% stating that this is influential in attitude formation.
Fact%20or%20fiction%202013_WebVersion_FINAL.docx