Canadian Football Legend Berni e Custis , th e Firs t Black Pr o Quarterback in North America , i s Profiled in Uniqu e Film Projec t tha t eam s Up "oung and #ld to Celebrate $eniors’ Lives The Revera and Reel Youth Age is More Film Project promotes intergenerational understanding TORONTO, Canada, December 2, 2013 – Bernie Custis refused to give up on is dream. " en t e National $ootba#l %eague denied im t e quarterback position because of t e co#our of his s'in, e pac'ed up and moved to Canada. T e Hami#ton Tiger Cats signed im and, in 1)*1, e became t e first b#ack &uarterback in North +merican professional footba##, t e kick off to a great career and a berth in t e Canadian $ootba#l %eague Ha#l of Fame. No,, Bernie is e#ping to break anot er barrier. +geism is Canada-s most ,ide#y to#erated form of social discrimination,i according to researc . A uni&ue new program bet,een Revera, Canada-s #eading provider of seniors’ care and services, and Reel /out , a not0for-profit , ich empo,ers .outh to create engaging fi#ms about important social issues, is bringing toget er .oung and o#d in a fi#m pro1ect t at promotes intergenerational #earning and ce#ebrates age#ess spirit. 2$ar too often peop#e are judged,” sa.s 4r. Bernie Custis, resident at +pp#eby 5#ace Retirement Residence. 26n my #ife I have been fortunate enough to break some of t ese social barriers, , ich is , y I was 'een to participate in ma'ing t is fi#m!” Ca##ed The Revera and Reel Youth Age Is More Film Project, t e program brings t,o generations toget er to bui#d understandin g t roug h t e creatio n of a serie s of s ort fi#m s t a t profi#e t e lives of 25 o#de r adu#ts . T e fi#ms ca n be vie,e d on +ge6s4ore!com. 2+ge is 4ore is focused on brea'ing do,n misperceptions and ce#ebrating age#ess spirit,” sa.s 7tep en $oste r, 7enio r 8ice President , Retiremen t %iving at Revera . 2T i s pro1ec t is a fu n and meaningfu l ,a y for t e generation s to come toget er, s are e9perience s and #ea rn fro m each ot er.” +ccording to Zoe Mi#es, 5rograms 4anager from Reel /out , 2;ven during t e first day of fi#ming t ere were a #ot of connection s bein g made bet,ee n t e younge r and o#de r participants . T e youth ,ere rea## y intereste d in #earnin g t e storie s of eac h of t e o#de r adu#ts<eac h of t em ad t eir o,n approac h to life!” T ere are surprising benefits to intergenerational contact, #i'e better ps.c o#ogical ea#th for both generations, according to a Boston Co##ege 7tud.. Ot er benefits can inc#ude learning new s'i##s from each ot er, e#ping to a##eviate fears of aging, giving peop#e a sense of s ared purpose and reducing t e li'e#i ood of depression and iso#ation among o#der adu#ts. 2Older and .ounger Canadians need to find opportunities to connect more,” sa.s =reg 7 a,, Director, 6nternational and Corporate Re#ations of t e International $ederation on +geing. 2T e simp#e act of getting to know someone from a different generation promotes positive attitudes and be aviours, and e#ps address misperceptions t at inadvertent#y set in , en peop#e don-t ave enough e9posure to each ot er.” +nd, according to research from Revera, t e younger and o#der demograp ics ave more in common t an t ey t in'. T ey ave both e9perienced considerab#e age discrimination in Canada, ,ith >3 per cent of Gen Y and ?3 per cent of seniors @?6 .ears of age and o#der) sa.ing t ey ave been treated unfairly or different#y because of t eir age. $urt ermore, 35 per cent of Gen Y and 24 per cent of seniors say t ey ave been a victim of stereot.ping. T e Age Is More Film Project is being produced in t,o locations in 2013: " itec#iff Retirement Residence in " ite Roc', British Co#umbia and +pp#eby 5#ace Retirement Residence in Burlington, Ontario, , ere Bernie Custis #ives. T e pro1ect is part of Revera-s ongoing effort to s ed #ig t on ageism t rough its social initiative, Age Is More. Age is More is part of Revera =iving, Revera-s ,ay of giving back t rough p i#ant rop., supporting emp#o.ee vo#unteerism, and combating ageism. T is o#iday season Revera is as'ing Canadians to go to Age6s4ore!com to s are stories of how t eir #ives ave been enric ed by someone of a different generation. +#l stories are entered in a contest for a c ance to win one of t ree D100 restaurant gift cards. "inners are encouraged to use t e priEe money to spend time with someone of a different generation. Notes o Editor: )nter&iew #!!ortunities are avai#ab#e with +reg $ha*, ,irector, )nternational and Cor!orate -elations of the International Federation on Ageing, , o is avai#ab#e to ta#k about t e benefits to both generations for being more connected, and give tips on ow Canadians can e#p combat ageism. $te!hen Foster, $enior .ice President, -etirement Li&ing from -e&era and Zoe Miles, Programs 0anager from Reel "outh can speak about t e Age Is More Film Project. -eel "outh filmmakers and -e&era residents *ho !artici!ated in the project are also a&ailable for inter&ie*. About -e&era Revera is a #eading provider of seniors’ accommodation, care and services; bui#t on a *00.ear istory of he#ping seniors #ive life to t e fu##est. "ith more t an 2B0 sites across Canada and parts of t e U!7!, ,e work to en ance lives in our retirement communities, #ong term care homes, G!7. nursing and re ab centres and t rough t e provision of home hea#th services. $ind out more about Revera at ,,,!revera#iving!com or find us on $acebook and T,itter. About -eel "outh Reel /outh is a not0for-profit program t at encourages .out , adu#ts and organiEations to create and distribute compe##ing fi#ms about important issues. Over t e past six .ears, Reel /outh as produced over H00 fi#ms ,ith 2,*00 peop#e wit in Canada and across t e world. $or more information, visit ,,,!ree#.out !ca or find us on $acebook and T,itter. About )nternational Federation on Ageing T e International $ederation on +geing @6$+) is an internationa#, non0governmental organiEation and point of g#obal connection to e9perts and e9pertise in t e fie#d of aging. T e I$A be#ieves in generating positive c ange for o#der peop#e t rough he#ping to s ape and inf#uence effective age0 re#ated and senior po#icies and practice. $or more information about t e I$A visit ,,,!ifa0fiv!org. About the Re&era -esearch Revera, in partners ip ,ith %eger 4arketing, surve.ed on#ine Canadians aged 1H032 @=en /-sA, 330 B5 @=en I-sA, B?0?5 @BoomersA, ??0>4 @/ounger 7eniors) and >*0p#us @Older 7eniors) to better understand t eir attitudes on aging. T e survey ,as comp#eted on#ine from +ugust 2Bth to 7eptember Bt , 2012 using %eger 4arketing-s on#ine pane#, LegerWeb, ,ith a samp#e of 1,*01 Canadians. A probabi#ity samp#e of t e same siEe wou#d .ie#d a margin of error of 2!*J, 19 times out of 20. 0300 For further information !lease contact: Kristen 4arano Lennifer +rnott ;nvironics Communications Revera 6nc. @B1?) )?)02?>0 @2H)) 3?0013>2 'maranoMenvironicspr.com 1ennifer.arnottMrevera#iving!com i Revera Report on +geism, Revera and t e International $ederation on +geing, 2012 .