In 2021 Barbo participated in the NDPHS conference Connecting Minds Across the Ages. In her keynote speech addressing ageism, Barbro highlighted: “Much of the discrimination is unknown, and people don’t know how they treat older people. And that was the same with discrimination of women.”

Barbro has led by example and has paved the way for work against discrimination that is still ongoing today. As the first female Secretary General of the Swedish National Board of Welfare, she had homosexuality dropped from the list of mental health diseases. In 1988 she became MP to the Riksdag and an active advocate for the rights of LGBTQI people. Later she became chairman of the Swedish Pensioners’ Association and since 2006, committed her work to combat age discrimination.

Johan Pehrson, leader of the Liberal Party: “Barbro’s heroic fight for people’s freedom and equal value leaves a lasting impression (..). It has been said about Barbro that rarely do so many people have so much to thank one person for.”

In 2021, Barbro Westerholm’s memoir ”About never giving up” – “Att aldrig ge upp” was published.