Despite the arrival of the National Service Framework for Older People in 2001, age discrimination continues to exist both in popular society and in health and social care settings. Within this context, the number of older people that are likely to come into contact with occupational therapy services is set to rise because of an increase in the population of older people. This opinion piece provides an overview of ageism towards older people in relation to occupational therapy and suggests basic steps that can be taken by the profession to guard against ageist practice.
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