Someone who used to join friends for dinner suddenly starts eating alone. They stop going to activities they once enjoyed. They become quieter, avoid certain people, or simply seem to pull away. It can be easy to assume they're just getting older. But what if something else has changed?
In this episode, Dr. Bryan Gross explores bullying among older adults and the quieter ways it can affect someone's sense of safety, dignity, and belonging. From cliques, gossip, and exclusion in senior communities to ageism, intimidation, financial exploitation, and elder abuse, harmful behavior doesn't disappear just because we get older. Bryan also looks at why an older adult may begin changing their own life to avoid being hurt, embarrassed, or controlled, and why those changes can easily be mistaken for a desire to be alone.
You'll learn:
- What senior bullying can look like in everyday life
- Why withdrawal may be a sign that something has changed
- How bullying, ageism, elder abuse, and financial exploitation can overlap while still being different
- Warning signs families, caregivers, and communities shouldn't ignore
- How small acts of inclusion can help someone feel seen, respected, and safe
Getting older doesn't make rejection hurt less, and it doesn't make belonging matter less.
Sometimes the most important question we can ask is simply: What changed?
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🎧The Acceptance Project Podcast
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