Objective: Mutual aid has been a longstanding practice among communities who experience short term crises (such as natural and human-made disasters) as well as long term crises (such as systemic marginalization and poverty). It has proliferated as a widespread practice during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for individuals and communities to share resources when government and non-governmental services have failed. Our study aims to understand: What values and beliefs underly mutual aid practices in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic? Methods: Our qualitative study uses phenomenological methods to interview mutual aid organizers and participants (N=25) across the state of Colorado in the early months of the pandemic. Results: We find that values underlying mutual aid include reciprocity, shared humanity, and community-driven care and redistribution of resources. Yet, participants recognize that to realize these values requires a generative and active community which is responsive to needs. Conclusions: These findings may inform how mutual aid organizers, social workers, and scholars alike understand how mutual aid, as an (old yet) emerging practice, may uniquely respond to the ongoing pandemic and compounding crises, like economic distress and climate change, as government systems fail to keep up with surmounting needs.

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Objectives Ageism is a prevalent, insidious social justice issue which has harmful effects on the health of older adults. Preliminary literature explores the intersectionality of ageism with sexism, ableism, and ageism experienced among LGBTQ+ older adults. Yet, the intersectionality of ageism with racism remains largely absent from the literature. Therefore, this study explores the lived experience of the intersectionality of ageism and racism among older adults. Methods This qualitative study applied a phenomenological approach. Twenty participants 60+ years of age (M=69) in the U.S. Mountain West identifying as Black, Latino(a), Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Indigenous, or White engaged in a one-hour interview between February and July 2021. A three-cycle coding process applied constant comparison methods. Five coders independently coded interviews, engaging in critical discussion to resolve disagreements. An audit trail, member checking, and peer debriefing enhanced credibility. Results This study focuses on individual-level experiences exemplified by four umbrella themes and nine sub-themes. The umbrella themes are: 1) racism experienced differently based on age, 2) ageism experienced differently based on race, 3) comparing/contrasting experiences of ageism and racism, and 4) “othering” or discrimination. Discussion The findings indicate how ageism may be racialized through stereotypes such as mental incapability. Practitioners can apply the findings to enhance support for older adults by designing interventions aimed at reducing racialized ageist stereotypes and increasing collaboration through education across anti-ageism/anti-racism initiatives. Future research should focus on the impacts of the intersectionality of ageism and racism on specific health outcomes in addition to structural-level interventions.

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Ageism is a prevalent, insidious social justice issue which has harmful effects on the health of older adults. Preliminary literature explores the intersectionality of ageism with sexism, ableism, classism, and ageism experienced among LGBTQ+ older adults. To our knowledge, the intersection of ageism with racism, or racialized ageism, is largely absent from the literature. This qualitative study explored the following research question from a phenomenological perspective: “What is the lived experience of racialized ageism among diverse older adults?” Twenty participants 60+ years of age (M=69) in the U.S. Mountain West identifying as Black, Latino(a), Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Indigenous, or White engaged in a one-hour interview between February and July 2021. A three-cycle coding process used constant comparison methods. Five coders independently coded interviews, engaging in critical discussion to resolve disagreements. An audit trail, member checking, and peer debriefing enhanced credibility. Six umbrella themes and 20 sub-themes were identified. In this paper, the following six sub-themes are highlighted with direct implications for practice:1) compounding oppression, 2) being avoided or categorized due to others’ discomfort, 3) increased disrespect, 4) microaggressions, 5) acts of hate, and 6) cultural values/respect for elders as a protective factor. Implications include informing how practitioners may enhance support for older adults in preventing and coping with experiences of racialized ageism. Enhanced understanding of racialized ageism should also inform existing anti-ageism initiatives at the community level. Future research should focus on the experience of racialized ageist microaggressions and the relationship between racialized ageism and specific health outcomes.