Older people were cautioned against a well meaning but "invidious" type of ageism which only includes active older people in activities.
Louise Richardson, co-ordinator of the Older Women's Network, said older people themselves were often guilty of this type of ageism.
She recalled asking a woman in her 90s to speak at a ceremony marking the year of the elderly. It took the woman some time to get to the platform and Ms Richardson was berated soundly by others "for putting her through this".
The speaker told her that this had been the highlight of her recent years.
"For many, many years, nobody had invited her to anything, never mind to participate in anything because they felt she was too old," she said.
"So I really do call for all of us to overcome our embarrassment and our discomfort and our impatience with frailty and faltering steps and failing faculties and forgetfulness."
Meanwhile, Molly Collins, Community Health Worker with Pavee, urged GPs to ask Travellers if they could read when giving them prescriptions. "And if they can't write or read, then give them the information that is there for them," she said.
Travellers were being given prescriptions for medicine but they didn't know what they were taking or when to take it, she said.
The conference heard 46 per cent of carers surveyed by the Caring for Carers Ireland Groups were over 60 and 21 per cent were caring for more than one person.
Bridget Barron, co-founder of the group, said 56 per cent of carers rated their own health as "fair to poor" and 46 per cent suffered from stress. She said carers were saving the State over €3 billion a year and she called for carers' clinics to look after carers' health.