The way older people are portrayed matters. Previous research on framing and aging indicates that framing—the choices we make about what we say, how we say it, what we emphasize, and what we leave unsaid—can affect perceptions of aging and older people.2 In addition to the framing conveyed with words, visual framing—how older people are portrayed in images—plays an important role in the implicit messages that are sent through media, advertising, and other communications. Images can engage audiences by evoking emotions, facilitating memory, and transmitting cultural meaning.3 In other words, images—if used strategically—can be important tools for shaping attitudes about aging. Read more:
