Just because there are older folks struggling to find jobs after not keeping up skills doesn't mean there isn't also ageism, and it can become problematic when everyone disregards the ageism by saying it's all just meritocratic and skills based.

I think there are lots of younger developers in the hiring process who start out with a bias of assuming older developers have atrophied skills. Then when that bias makes it harder for older developers to find jobs, the younger developers say "ah, well that's meritocracy for you".