The area of ​​diversity we will look at here is ageism. First we will discuss some of the most important barriers present due to age. We will discuss how this group is affected by discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes and some of the sources that perpetuate it. Finally we will try to show some strategies that both young and old can use to promote communication and understanding to hopefully reduce the gap between young and old. In ancient times, elders were valued as teachers and mentors. They had the knowledge and experience that the younger population did not have. But as the number of elderly people increased, they were perceived as a burden on their families and on society in general. We now live in a modern era and have what we would consider a civilized society. We are far from the barbaric tribes who would abandon the old and weak in the desert to die alone. However, much of our elderly population is still discriminated against on a daily basis. In 1969, Robert Butler defined ageism as “systematic stereotypes and prejudices against people because they are old.” There is a cost associated with age. Like prejudice against women (sexism) and against race (racism), the impact of ageism is and will be considerable. Older people can and do play an important role in our social and economic development, but we fail to recognize their potential and deny them a significant role in our cultural life (Butler). Ageism theory has typically focused on the physical and mental changes associated with aging and the perception of worthlessness and diminished status that fuel prejudices against the elderly (North, Fiske). In 1974, Bernice Neugarten was the first to identify subtypes of older adults. He identified t… half of the paper… people (pp. 3–26). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. Friedan, B. (1993). The Fountain of Ages. New York: Simon & Schuster. Haboush, A., Warren, C., & Benuto, L. (2012). Beauty, ethnicity, and age: Does the internalization of mainstream media ideals influence attitudes toward older adults?. Sex Roles, 66(9/10), 668-676. doi:10.1007/s11199-011-0102-6Kersten, D. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/workplace/communication/2002-11-15-communication-gap_x.htmMACKIN, D. (2011). Three strategies for building collaboration between generations. Mworld, 10(3), 45-47. Neugarten, B. L. (1970). The old and the young in modern societies. American Behavioral Scientist, 14(1), 13North, M. S., & Fiske, S. T. (2013). Age subtyping: Policy issues in succession and consumption. Social Issues and Policy Review, 7(1), 36-57. doi:10.1111/j.1751-2409.2012.01042.x