Research

Topic: Knowledge

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Our Research Project

The aim of our research is to make age discrimination in Switzerland more visible. At present, there is very little scientific data from Switzerland on age discrimination or on people’s experiences of age inclusion.

We explore research questions such as:

How do people in Switzerland experience age discrimination?
In what social contexts does it occur (individual or group settings)?
In which areas of everyday life does it appear (e.g. workplace, financial services, transport, healthcare)?
What impact do age-related disadvantages have on mental and physical health?

Based on our findings, we aim to identify key areas for action and develop measures to address age discrimination in Switzerland.

Methods: We collect personal accounts of lived experiences through this platform and analyse the content using current methods in machine learning and automated text analysis. In addition, we gather data through questionnaires to better understand the background and impact of these experiences.

Citizen Science means conducting research together with members of the public. Our project is based on this approach.

A key component is our Sounding Board, where engaged participants contribute their ideas and experiences, for example in the development of this platform and beyond. Community members are also involved in designing e-learning content, interpreting results, and planning and implementing new formats.

Discover our project:

Citizen Science Zurich

Schweiz forscht

More about citizen science: E-Learning course (German) «Discover Citizen Science»

The research project has been reviewed by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Zurich and has been deemed ethically sound.

Master’s Theses in the Project

Ageismus in the Health Care System

Conducted by: Sonja Calame
Master’s student in Psychology, University Zurich

This master’s thesis examinesthe forms of age discrimination experienced by people aged 50 and older in various areas of the healthcare system. To this end, individual interviews are conducted with people aged 50 and older to document their personal experiences within the healthcare system.

For questions about the study or to express interest in participating, please contact Sonja Calame here.

Ageism in Education

Conducted by: Amy Flückiger
Master’s studen in Psychology, University Zurich

Lifelong learning in later life is essential for maintaining cognitive health, fostering social connections, and participating actively in society. Therefore, unrestricted access to educational opportunities for older people is of central importance.

This master’s thesis uses interviews to examine the extent to which such access is ensured, the forms of ageism that older people in Switzerland encounter in educational settings, and how these experiences are perceived.

For questions about the study or to express interest in participating, please contact Amy Flückiger here.

Ageism in the Labour Market: Experiences of People Aged 50 and Over

Conducted by: Valerie Baltensperger
Master’s student in Psychology, University Zurich

This master’s thesis examines whether and how unemployed people aged 50 and over perceive and experience age discrimination in the labour market. Individual interviews are conducted with people currently seeking employment, focusing on their personal experiences, individual coping strategies, and the impact of age discrimination during the job search process.

For questions about the study or to express interest in participating, please contact Valerie Baltensperger here.

Experiences of Ageism Among Older People in Switzerland

Conducted by: Esmeralda Lamia
Master’s student in Psychology, University Zurich

This master’s thesis explores how older people in Switzerland experience ageism. To investigate this, focus groups (guided discussions in small groups) as well as individual interviews are conducted to gather concrete experiences from everyday life.

For questions about the study or to express interest in participating, please contact Esmeralda Lamia here.

Publications

Symposium and Poster at the 23rd IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics

Poster wird an der Konferenz durch zwei Personen präsentiert.

At the 23rd IAGG World Congress in Amsterdam, we held the symposium «Age-Friendly Practices Against Ageism: From Community to Education, Healthcare and Work» together with international experts and presented a poster on our project. In both formats, we presented preliminary findings from our analysis of the experiences of age discrimination and age inclusion shared on our platform.

Poster (EN)

www.iagg2026.org

Geneva Aging Series 2025, Cognitive Aging Lab, University of Geneva

The poster «Capturing Everyday Age Discrimination and Inclusion: A Citizen Science Approach» was presented in September 2025.

www.unige.ch

Co-Developing an Educational Platform Against Ageism with Older Adults: A Use Case from Switzerland

Miriam Wallimann, Kathrin Inerle, Andrea Ferrario, Erica Benz-Steffen & Burcu Demiray
Published in Educational Gerontology, 1–11 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2025.2484333

Article (EN)

Summary (DE)

Aging & Cognition Conference of the European Cognitive Aging Society

Poster (EN)

www.eucas.org

Further questions about the project?

You are welcome to contact us at any time.

UZH Healthy Longevity Center
University of Zurich
Stampfenbachstrasse 73
CH-8006 Zurich
E-Mail: jedesalter@dynage.uzh.ch