Ageism within healthcare education continues to influence how future nurses perceive older people and consider careers in aged care. While overtly negative stereotypes are increasingly challenged, more subtle forms, particularly benevolent ageism, often remain unnoticed. This presentation explores how first-year undergraduate nursing students talk about older people prior to and following their first clinical placement in residential aged care, and what this language reveals about underlying assumptions related to ageing and care. This presentation draws on selected findings from a mixed-methods study of the impact of placement on career intentions for first-year nursing students. Data indicates students frequently used positive descriptors such as “sweet,” and “lovely” when describing older people. Although often intended as expressions of kindness, these expressions reflect benevolent ageism and underlying attitudes toward older people. The findings highlight how ageist language, when framed as caring or respectful, can remain unchallenged within nursing education. Importantly, these attitudes also appear to influence students’ interest in pursuing careers in aged care or care of older people more broadly. This is a concern for both education providers and the future of the workforce. This presentation argues for informed educational strategies that challenge ageism, promote critical self-reflection for the students and staff, and reframe care of older in a positive way. Addressing ageism during nursing education is essential to improving