When a friend at the gym asked Rob Jerome to photograph his high jumps, the amateur photographer had no idea he was doing more than helping the man improve his form. But the experience was transformative. Over the last decade, Jerome has traveled around the world photographing Masters athletes in action.
"I was amazed that my friend could still jump over six feet in his early 40s," says Jerome, a retired management consultant. "But that's nothing compared to what some older Masters athletes can do."
Jerome publishes his photographs and shares them with athletes. He also uses them as the basis for anti-ageism talks he gives at medical schools and other venues, including APA's 2016 convention. His message? Don't be so quick to dismiss older people and their abilities. Says Jerome, "When I show doctors what people can do in their 70s, 80s and 90s, it knocks them back on their heels."
—Rebecca A. Clay
