Aging Essay

One important aspect of ageism is that the stereotypes created are often undeserving of the older population’s actual capabilities.

Ageism and stereotypes of older people can have an important impact on their physical health, mental health and overall wellbeing. Negative stereotypes of older people being dependent and decrepit can be internalized and become self-fulfilling. These ageist thoughts and stereotypes can lead to older people not seeking health care in general and to not get treatment appropriate for their illness or medical condition due to their age and not based on any other factor.

Many sociologists believe that, like childhood, the age status is socially constructed. Many discussions about old age are negative and stereotypical, therefore it is constructed as a problem. People have different critical stereotypes of elderly people, they see them as, slow, old fashioned, complaining all the time and many other traditional stereotypes. An example of this would be the Griffiths Report. This report claimed that the care of the elderly was pushing society to facing the problem of meeting the growing costs that health and social care needs in order to help the growing number of elderly people. There has also been a recent fear of the ‘pension time bomb’ this has also caused some negative attitudes and concerns that the ageing population creates a

This journal article overviews the new realities of aging as they are shaped by contemporary social and economic contexts and the processes that give rise to them. It reviews the outcomes and implications of aging as it relates to contemporary social and economic contexts; and it features the importance of viewing the science of human aging through a sociological lens.

There is a concern of what will become of ageism in the future. The term ageism is based on an individuals or societies beliefs about the aged (Quadango, 2014, p. 10). Will ageism continue to grow worse in time or will it slowly dissipate? American’s 65 and older are expected to double in number within the forthcoming 3 decades from 35.9 million to 70 million elderly folks in 2030. The elderly will make up 20 percent of the 2030 population compared to the 13 percent today. It is expected that those turning 65 now, will live an extra 18 years. Seniors that have a positive outlook on life live an average of 7.5 years longer compared to those that are affected by negative stereotypes. (Associated Press, 2004, 7 September) Stereotypes can refer to ideas and beliefs of the elderly as a whole group (Quadango, 2014, p. 10). The elderly is going to be on the rise and this evidence goes to show that if we come together as a society and treat elders with more respect they will lead a more positive life.

As society progresses, prejudices pertaining to ageism arise on multiply fronts, which stems from simply an ignorant societal state of mind. This is especially turn when it comes to younger generation. When looking at prejudices of older adults it often comes down to assumptive limitations that given to an older age group and they become seen as a burden to society, which is

Aging is unavoidable in life yet their are so many stereotypes surrounding it. Stereotypes about the aging population play a huge role in how we think and interact with the individuals in the aging population. Stereotypes of aging are mostly myths or misrepresented beliefs about how people of that certain age should act or what their reality is meant to look like without regards for individual differences or circumstances.

Decrepit, senile, over the hill, old fart or slow driver are often the words you hear when referring to “the elderly”. In 1969, Robert Butler, the first director of the National Institute on Aging was the first to use the term “ageism” to describe the stereotyping of people because of their age. The term ageism contains a negative bias or attitude toward the aging. This it a form of discrimination. While there is other ‘isms used in American society; sexism, or racism, ageism enables the younger generation to see older people differently, they may be seen as just old people who are no longer able to actively contribute to society.

Stereotyping of elderly has resulted in inappropriate attitudes toward older persons and has conditioned people to think and act in terms of prejudice. The elderly may feel inadequate and helpless. Some even give up on life because they feel excluded. They often forget they are intelligent, fun-loving, creative, powerful, and even sexy human beings. Their age should not define who they are. With the increasing numbers of elderly, this group is the most powerful force in the entire population so they must take control of their lives.

Instead, they believe it is a reflection of how society views aging and the elderly in general. In our society, ageism is widely accepted, therefore it is more tolerable to accept and/or ignore the abuse than it is in places where aging is embraced and elders are more valued (Penhale, 1999).

One of the most important arguments faced in the article is age. The process of ageing is socially constructed through the creation of life schedules, which are conceptions about how people belonging to a particular class are expected to

Generally, modern society reinforces negative perceptions of the process of aging, and it is often portrayed in society as being a lonely and depressing experience. These perceptions are important because elderly individuals that have a positive outlook on aging have been linked to better health and psychological well-being. This study explores the impact of negative and positive perceptions of aging, held by society, and how they influence aging individuals.

This essay contains discussions and arguments that will present the argument for the idea that age is socially constructed. Using studies that cover a myriad of situations and examples such as post-war youth movements, cultural hegemony, media influence, feminism, demonisation of as key aspects ascertaining evidence. Also, consideration has been made into the industrialisation of Asian societies, which is used to draw comparisons between both societies and the similarities in treatment towards older generations. A brief psychological argument against the social construction of age has also been included, revealing an epidemiological perspective containing a variety of factors that present an individualistic, biological explanation for age.

Ageism is a term that refers to a set of beliefs about age. Ageism is a type of stereotyping that relate to prejudgment or discrimination against any particular age group and is viewed as a negative perspective about the elderly. Ageism supposes that the elderly is no longer able to contribute to society in a meaningful way, and drain the broader society’s resources because of a continuous decline in health and well-being. (Women 's Health Encyclopedia, 2011) Studies like the Census Bureau statistics challenge this belief. Reports revealed that a rather small number of the elderly are in nursing homes, and that these individuals tend to be the very oldest. Other reports indicate that being separated with other aged people and having limited opportunities for making decisions, which leads to the decline in function. Although health and social policy believes that aging defines function, it does not. (Women 's

“Ageism, or agism, is a prejudice or discrimination against an individual or group in society on the basis of one's conception of age. A prejudice is a preconceived mentality, judgement, or opinion that may have no reason nor basis. Discrimination is the expression of prejudice resulting in differential treatment of different groups or individuals in society. This may include unjust behaviors, actions, language(s) and degrading terms, or limitations restricting another's rights. A person who participates in and supports ageism is called an ageist.” (Tse)