Seniors should fight stereotyping and lobby for their rights, urged advocate Glenn Wachter at the Silver Revolution conference on Saturday.

Mr. Wachter, the deputy long-term care ombudsman for Oregon, said at the United Bermuda Party-sponsored event at the Hamilton Princess, that the elderly faced prejudice similar to sexism and racism.

He said myths included that people were old at 60 and that sickness and dementia were inevitable.

He said: ?Alzheimer?s isn?t the rule, it?s the exception.?

He won applause after saying that societies which value seniors have laws which increase sanctions for crimes against the elderly.

Seniors should get active themselves for change, said Mr. Wachter who said his own ombudsman office had five paid staff and 200 volunteers, including seniors who checked on long-term care facilities.

Seniors should embrace technology to get their message across, Mr. Wachter added.

Mr. Wachter also hit out at damaging stereotypes that old women were a burden and seniors were forgetful.

?These myths are dangerous,? he said. ?If we allow them to go unchecked and unchallenged we help perpetuate them even if we don?t agree with them.?

One conference attendee, Sheila Smith, complained about the mandatory retirement age for Government employees.

?I am a professional nurse, when I reached 65 I had to retire ? whether I wanted to or not,? she said.

She said there was a worldwide shortage of nurses and overseas nurses were being recruited to take her place.

Ms Smith, a long-term resident, is reduced to a few hours a week doing night relief work at St. Brendan?s.

?I lost my position and have to compete against foreign staff,? she said. ?I think it?s ridiculous.?

She has applied to nursing homes for work, she added. ?The minute they find out you are 65, they don?t want to hear from you.

?There is definitely discrimination against seniors in the workplace.

?I wrote to the CEO of the hospital and she said they will change their policy only when Government changes its policy.?

She noted there was no requirement for MPs to retire at age 65.