With the distribution underway of copies of a book central to their series, organizers of “Timeless Newtown: Embracing All Generations” have now released a schedule of talks centered around chapters of Ageism Unmasked.

Released in March 2022, Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End It by Dr Tracey Gendron discusses previously unconscious bias, challenges and opportunities of aging, treating others more equitably, and resetting expectations for getting old.

Free copies of the book are available at C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street, during regular library hours: Monday through Thursday, 9:30 am-8 pm; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 am-5 pm; and Sunday, noon-5 pm.

Book talks will cover one chapter at a time, with various people guiding each conversation.

All programs listed here will be at the library. Each will begin at 6:30 pm and while registration is requested, all will be welcome. Additional information and registration is available at 203-426-4533 or chboothlibrary.org.

Thursday, July 17: Preface, Introduction and Chapter 1, “Complicated From the Beginning.”

John Boccuzzi Sr, co-founder of the “Timeless Newtown” series and founder and president of Friends of Newtown Seniors, will offer brief remarks and then host discussion of the Preface, Introduction, and Chapter 1 of Ageism Unmasked.

Boccuzzi Sr is a retired educator, administrator and consultant.

Tuesday, July 22: Chapter 2, “The Era of Technology and Medicine.”

John S. Boccuzzi Jr, president of ISG (Information System Group) Research and a cofounder of BD Provisions, will host this session.

Thursday, July 31: Chapter 3, “Entitlements: Ageism and Ableism at Work.”

Mike Cairo, Managing Director of Safety and Security for Greystar Real Estate Industries, will lead this discussion. Cairo previously served as Deputy Chief Safety Officer for Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and prior to that was Chief Security Officer and General Manager of Corporate Air Transport for the GE Company.

Thursday, August 14: Chapter 4, “Retirement As A Life Stage and Successful Aging.”

Joan Alexander, a realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England and a recognized innovator in the interior design industry, will lead this discussion.

Thursday, August 21: Chapter 5, “Era of Manipulation: Anti-Aging Culture.”

Dr Brianna Garrison, a researcher and professor of Gerontological Social Work at Southern CT State University, will lead this discussion.

Monday, August 25: Chapter 6, “The (Mis)Information Age.”

Retired educator and current Newtown Commission on Aging Chair Anne Rothstein will lead this discussion.

Wednesday, September 3: Chapter 7, “The Era of a Global Pandemic.”

Alexa Griffin LMSW, Care Navigator for Newtown Social Services, will lead this discussion.

Monday, September 15: Chapter 8, “Elderhood.”

Natalie Griffith LCSW, director of Human Services for the Town of Newtown, will lead this discussion of the book’s final chapter.

Nonfiction Book Club Talk

Additionally, the Booth Library Nonfiction Book Club has announced this title is its feature for September. The club meets the first Tuesday of each month; Ageism Unmasked will be discussed September 2.

All are welcome to join the discussion, which will begin at 1 pm in the library’s Gathering Room.

‘Ageism Unmasked,’ Author Program Planned

Dr Tracey Gendron opens her book by telling readers everything they know about aging is wrong.

“It’s not your fault,” she wrote in the Preface. “Everything you have been taught about aging is wrong. From a young age, our developing brains are flooded with images, songs, and stories that stoke fears of being old.” She notes most people “equate any amount of dependence as failure.

“Our expectations are unrealistic,” she continues. “As mortal beings, we eventually and inevitably experience physical decline. The truth is that we are never independent but always interdependent.”

Terms like “ageless” only exacerbate longstanding things, she posits.

“Attempts to be anti-ageist fall into perilous traps that fuel, rather than dismantle, ageism,” according to Gendron. People need to see age, she said. “It is a vital part of our human identity, and of the human condition. Hard-earned life lessons and experience enable us to become fully realized.

“They should be not just recognized but venerated,” her Preface continues.

“We can’t do better until we know better,” she concludes in the book’s opening pages. “It’s time for us to grow up, let go of our desperate need to stay young, and embrace that we age and get old.”

Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End It shifts the lens, enabling readers to see that they tolerate, and sometimes actively promote, attitudes and behaviors toward differently aged people that most would reject and condemn if applied to any other group. It peels back the layers to expose how cultural norms and unconscious prejudices have seeped into most people’s lives, silently shaping treatment of others based on their age and misconceptions about aging — and themselves.

The book uncovers ageism’s roots, impact, and how everyone can create a new reality of elderhood.

Offering an all-inclusive approach, Gendron reveals the biases behind the false understanding of aging, sharing powerful opportunities for personal growth along with strategies to help create an anti-ageist society.

Dr Tracey Gendron serves as chair for the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Gerontology. She earned a master’s degree in Gerontology, a master’s degree in Psychology, and a PhD in Developmental Psychology.

With over 25 years of experience as a gerontologist, Gendron has authored and co-authored over 30 manuscripts and seven book chapters on ageism and aging-related topics. She is frequently quoted in popular media outlets, including The New York Times, HuffPost, and U.S. News and World Report.

Gendron has spoken about ageism in forums across America and can also be seen and heard as a guest speaker on numerous podcasts and video productions, particularly highlighting those understudied and underrepresented.

Gendron will be the special guest at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, on Thursday, September 18, for the Timeless Newtown series finale. The author talk program will begin at 7 pm. A Q&A will follow her presentation.

A Meet & Greet and book signing opportunities will follow.

Admission will be free but tickets will be required; details TBA.