What were your degrees in? Where does your experience lie? What kind of work are you seeking?
Do all three of these have something in common? I see more and more people who are English majors who worked in the restaurant management and now they want to be hospital administrators.
Other than the general experience we all get from living and working, none of the job experience or education matches what they want to do. So if that's your case, age has much less to do with your lack of job offers than experience and training.
I was 56 when I found myself looking for a job. It was tough, because at 56 the 30 year old manager who interviews you assumes you're a tired old guy who isn't going to have the energy to get the job done.
Luckily someone took a chance on me and I proved that I could not only keep up with the recent college grads, but I could teach them a few things along the way. I see a greater hindrance to being promoted beyond my present position because of my age. Perhaps that is what you are referring to as well.
My company's brand is to appeal to young, affluent, energetic, chic consumers. No way do they want an old goat in charge of the place because that would not promote the brand image they wish to portray.
When they send recruiters to the local college campuses, they never ask me to go because they want the young graduates to interact with someone close to their own age so they can see how successful they can be in only a few years.
So there certainly are drawbacks to having some age on you. I don't see 44 as that old, but I know from experience that at 50 you've gone about as far as you will go with whatever job you're in. Advancement doesn't improve after that except in exceptional circumstances.