Summary Of Old Before Her Time

In conclusion, elderly Americans face many obstacles as they grow in age, such as ageism, workforce discrimination, poverty,

In Josh Barro’s article, he mainly discusses the theme of Social Security. He explains how if we raise the age for people to access Social Security, that will harm poorer Americans who have a lower life expectancy due to the type of work they do or because of lack of other proper benefits. In the video, Coming of Age in and Aging America, they discuss the main theme of aging in America and the difficulties and obstacles these individuals face on a daily basis, especially in terms of Social Security. The video covers a variety of situations that the elderly face and how America can work to make the lives easier especially in a world where our elderly population in growing. One example was in a hospital where they were able to integrate new techniques and systems to make it easier for people to work longer into their lives. The main themes of Sharon Kaufman’s journal article were health care and the reform of current plans, and discussion of life-prolonging procedures. She discusses the three main procedures used in the U.S. which are organ transplantation, cardiac procedures, and cancer treatments. Finally, Segal’s text covers the themes and policies related to aging and elderly population. She discusses the acts and programs that have been put into place such as the Older Americans Act of 1965, social security, pensions, and Medicare/Medicaid, along with a variety of others.

The memoir Early Bird, written by Rodney Rothman, is an intriguing story of Rothman’s journey into a retirement home as a middle adult. His intention in visiting and observing the retirement home is to get an inside look at what retirement is like and what he has to look forward to later in life. Throughout his time spent at Century Village, Rothman experiences what it is to be retired, to live with an elderly generation, and is able to witness and record many oddities that lay in aging. His record in his memoir reveals to the public some common themes seen in the elderly generation, but it also reveals some deviations from the norm. Looking at the characters Margaret, Alan and Buddy and Abe, Jimmy, and Vance as well as the community in general, it is possible to observe some distinct characteristics that follow the expected predictions of retirement societies and other characteristics that deviate from the expected course of these communities.

Ageism, an idea created by Robert Butler, can be described as degrading behavior or emotions toward older people based on one’s own fears or preconceived ideas (Butler, 1969). This kind of behavior can consist of anything from refusing jobs to someone due to their age and perceived capabilities from not offering ideal care to older people because one believes it is wasteful of resources. The presence of ageism within society leads to a population bound by certain stereotypes that can prohibit the advancement of people considered to be older adults.

In “The Ways of Her Household” by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Ulrich brings women to the forefront by revealing that their work around the house was important. In the introduction of her

In “The Wise Old Women”, a folktale retold by Yoshiko Uchida, there is a decree informing that anyone over the age of seventy-one must be left in the mountains to die. Generally, the decree was followed. However, a young farmer was done with the young lord’s horrific decree. The young famer just could not leave his mother, therefore he created a secret room to hide her in. On top of this, the young lord insisted on three arduous tasks. The young farmer was informed about these tasks and simply asked his wise mother. At first, the young farmer had to take credit for his mother’s wise answers, but eventually the young farmer was able to tell the truth about his mother. When the lord found out, he was quite surprised but not angry. He decided that elderly are very wise so they shouldn’t be left to die. He also decided that the elderly should be treated with the respect that they deserve. The theme of this story is respect and appreciation. An arrogant, young lord that had no respect for elders realized that respect is what he was missing.

Aaron Jeu Instructor Acevedo English 100 23 June 2015 Drafting the Elderly into Service, Just Kidding From time to time, this question may run through a younger individual’s mind: “What good are old people for?” American society stereotypes the elderly as unwell, feeble, unproductive and even a financial burden to the government and families. In the layered excerpt, A Proposal to Draft America’s Elderly, author David Rothkopf utilizes literary devices such as syntax, sarcastic tone, and style to stimulate discussion over how the nation is unsure of what to do with the elderly. However, Rothkopf fails to realize that America’s infrastructure and labor force is already designed to continue to support these individuals in retirement.

Modern society view’s aging as a form of sickness and the elderly as persons who are closer to dying and death. This is what is often portrayed in our mass and social media. When considering issues of aging sociologists have found that more positive characteristics are often said for persons under sixty five years than for over sixty five years.

"Are the old real human beings? Judging by the way our society treats them, the question is open to doubt. Since it denies them what they conceive the necessary minimum, and since it deliberately condemns them to the utmost poverty, to the slums, to ill health, loneliness and despair, it affirms that they hold neither the same needs nor the same rights as other members of the community. In order to soothe its conscience, our society's ideologists have invented a certain number of myths - myths that contradict one another, by the way - which induce those in the prime of life to see the aged not as fellow beings but as another kind of being altogether" (Perrin, & Polowy 2008).

We know that this is an issue in every time period and is addressed by many writers. Growing old does not change, but each age has its own way of dealing with the old. This paper

looking, while older women, no matter how beautiful, still just look older” (Julie, April 22, 2011). Gender ageism

Ninety six percent of people sixty-five and older are nonmovers (Quadagno, 2014, p.203) yet the film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) follows seven individuals who are seeking a place that can accommodate their elderly needs. Despite this being a fictional film, the text Aging and the Life Course: An Introduction to Social Gerontology (Quadagno, 201) can support the ways in which the film accurately depicts various obstacles associated with aging. Each of the characters in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel overcome ageist social constructions present within western culture but represent that there can still be hope in old age.

Another supporter of changing the way aging is conveyed is author, Margaret Cruiksbank, of the book, Learning to be Old. In her book she is a proponent of changing the way the aging process is described. Her position is that the underlying meaning of popular terms to describe aging weakens its value. She denotes that the term “successful aging” is a false phrase for the elderly as it “masks both the wish to continue mid-life indefinitely and the white, Middle-class, Western values of researchers, causing them to emphasize productivity, effectiveness and independence” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2). She also concludes that the term “productive” aging symbolizes “economic usefulness and social conformity” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2), especially for the female gender. More importantly, these terms can be used to measure. This ability to measure is subjective to the questioner and an individual’s self-worth. She suggests the term “aging comfortably” as it signifies easiness, and a “faint hint” of pleasurable self-indulgence which may not have been possible in younger years (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 3).

This is a society of isms, racism, sexism, and ageism. It labels, stereotypes, and categorizes people, by shape, size, color, and age. The elderly in their later years should be able to have a peaceable life, treated with dignity and respect. However, pretty much anyone under the age of 50 is a target for an attack of an attitude of ageism at some point. Those who do the disrespecting don’t stop to consider that at some point, they will also be at the receiving end of that attitude.” (Webb)

Knowing and having an understanding of what ageing stands for, remains an important step, growing-up or growing older and ageism are theories about older individuals. Ageism includes preconceptions that elderly are categorized for their age and perceived as weak, and incapable of performing tasks and needy of others (Quadagno, 2014). Another view about elderly individuals is the way they are looked down on by the younger society, i.e. elderly are not as intelligent as their younger competitive working force. People fear what they do not know and do not understand. Age transpires as something that must be lived through in order to understand what ageing means; looking back on one’s life and seeing accomplishments made,