The Age Illusion and Myth

Name: The Age Illusion and Myth
Start: 2025-03-19T18:00:00+1100
End: 2025-03-19T19:30:00+1100
Location: Sir Stanley Burbury Lecture Theatre

Wed, 19 Mar, 6pm - 7:30pm AEDT

Sir Stanley Burbury Lecture Theatre

sandy bay, australia

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University of Tasmania

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Event description

We’re all getting older - so why does society treat ageing like a problem to be solved? From anti-ageing creams to Botox to ‘boomer vs. millennial’ debates, ageing is framed as something to fear, fight, or fix. But who profits from these narratives, and what do they cost us?

This conversation peels back the layers of our obsession with resisting ageing. How do media, policy, and power shape how we see ageing? What does this cultural narrative mean for you, and what does ‘ageing well’ really mean - and who gets to do it?

Join Associate Professor Peta Cook as she challenges you to think about growing older as something to embrace, rather than erase.

Attend online

Prefer to attend online? Secure your tickets here.

Pre-event refreshments

Head to the venue early and enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5.30pm.

About the experts

Associate Professor Peta Cook (she/her/they) is a sociologist specialising in ageing, disability, and health inequalities. Her work explores how lived experiences and forms of knowledge shape our understanding of ageing and health, focusing on addressing ageism, promoting age-friendly communities, and empowering individuals in their healthcare and ageing journeys. Peta’s current research tackles critical issues such as elder abuse, ageism, and the creation of inclusive, supportive societies for all ages.

Peta is an award-winning researcher, recognised for her community-driven projects that raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities of ageing in Australia. She has conducted over 300 in-depth interviews across diverse groups, bringing sensitivity and compassion to her work on delicate topics like chronic illness and trauma.

A passionate advocate for social change, Peta’s insights challenge societal norms, encouraging us to rethink ageing as something to embrace, not fear.

Event host, Brigid Wilkinson, is the CEO at COTA Tasmania, Council on the Ageing, the peak body for older Tasmanians. She is a passionate advocate for reframing the way we think about and respond to ageing and in challenging ageism within our communities. Brigid leads a small team of passionate staff across Tasmania within COTAs advocacy and project areas that support older Tasmanians access the right information, build confidence to ensure they have the supports needed to age well and receive the respect they deserve.

Partner

Held in partnership with COTA Tasmania and the University of Tasmania.

Parking

Free parking, including accessible spaces, is available at the venue.

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Find out more

Want to learn more about the University of Tasmania's Island of Ideas public talks series? Catch-up on past events, register for upcoming talks or get in touch with us via our Island of Ideas webpage.

Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity

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University of Tasmania

901 followers

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Changing the world is not simple. It takes thought, time, persistence, and insight. But most of all, it takes something extraordinary. So at the University of Tasmania, we’ve made the pursuit of the extraordinary a never-ending commitment. It influences everything we do. The way we teach. The way we research. The way we learn. And the way we live.

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