Ages of Living

Portraying life in all the nuances of aging

The Ages of Living project, created in partnership with Pre&ent, offers a collection of inclusive images that celebrate the beauty, diversity and richness of the seniors’ life journeys. By showcasing these many realities, each photograph contributes to reshaping our view of aging and opening the way toward a fairer and more respectful society for older people.

Seeing aging in a new light

While individuals aged 65 and older currently account for 18.9% of Canada’s population*, they are still significantly underrepresented in public life. Frequently reduced to stereotypes, they are depicted either as fragile or as exceptionally accomplished. At Le Groupe Maurice, we believe the time has come to rebalance these views.

*Older Adults and Demographic Aging – Statistics Canada

Did you know that…

81% of older people say they’re in good health… yet are portrayed as fragile.

The disconnect between older adults’ lived experiences and the way they are frequently depicted in the media can foster reductive stereotypes, constrain recognition of diverse life journeys and reinforce ageism in society.

Quebec Institute of Statistics (2023)

48% of those surveyed believe that older adults are underrepresented in the media.

The public perceives a lack of visibility of seniors in the media, a gap that fuels stereotypes, distorts perceptions of aging, and perpetuates ageism.

Federal Report “What We Have Heard” (2023)

75% of media coverage of older adults perpetuates negative stereotypes.

Written media that spread skewed portrayals of aging contribute to social biases and often influence public policies that do not fully reflect the realities of older people.

Marier & Revelli (2017)

Free photos at your fingertips

To promote a truer representation of older adults, we have decided to offer a collection of free images.

By providing free access to photos captured through the sensitive and human lens of photographers Jeanne Castonguay-Carrière and Richmond Lam, we hope to encourage media outlets, organizations and content creators to refresh their imagery, so that the collective image of aging better reflects its diversity and vitality.

In recognition of the professionals’ work and to support our approach, we kindly ask you to include the credit ©Ages of Living whenever the images are used.

Download the free collection

Heartfelt testimonies

The Ages of Living project offers a chance to showcase portraits of older people that reflect their identities, their self-perceptions and the way they want to be portrayed. We also discover why they decided to take part in this initiative and what it genuinely means to them.

By doing so, we amplify their experiences and narratives, emphasizing that every life is worthy of recognition and celebration.

Jacqueline Kernisant

For me, aging is a field of growth, and I believe we should give more space to those who never stop learning. To represent the taste, style, cultivated speech and complexity of everything that surrounds it.

Gilles Champoux

We don’t show enough modern older men who are both geeks and athletes. I want us to stop portraying them as frozen stereotypes and instead highlight life’s simple pleasures, humor – and even self-mockery!

Viet-Hue Duong

What drives me in this project is the desire to show that growing older isn’t simply letting time go by. Increasingly, older adults remain active, and I see myself in that. At 60, I chose to walk the Camino de Santiago alone. Walking gave me a chance to reconnect with myself.

Behind the scenes

This “making of” video takes you behind the scenes of our photoshoot: discover testimonials from those involved, anecdotes, and all the heart we put into showcasing older individuals in the full light they deserve. Enjoy watching!

Our gratitude goes to everyone who helped bring this project to life: Pre&ent, Le Répertoire, photographers Jeanne Castonguay-Carrière and Richmond Lam, and all the remarkable people who generously revealed themselves and shared a part of their story with us.

Pre&ent –
a partner in action

To carry out this project, we collaborated with Pre&ent, a studio that combines research and visual design.

Pre&ent conducts qualitative and ethnographic studies and offers workshops to help organizations better understand the people they aim to reach. The studio also develops a library of authentic images, showcasing the diversity, depth and richness of human experiences.

Browse the full Ages of Living collection
(paid access)