Ageism In Today's Society

With advances in modern medicine, including a revolution of healthcare focused on preventative treatments and living a healthy lifestyle, people are living much longer lives on average. Unfortunately, the population’s views on older adults have not evolved as quickly. Ageism is as rampant today as it ever has been, and older adults are one of the few remaining groups that have stereotypes not instantly corrected. The media coverage on older adults perpetuates this marginalization by using dehumanizing communication filled with stereotypical and prejudicial perceptions that contribute to the inherent power struggle that occurs when the young exert authority and control over the old.
The growing shortage of geriatricians, doctors trained to treat older people, is a crisis in the making. However, the way the editorial “An Aging Population Without the Doctors to Match,” makes the case, is deeply
It instantly dismantles stereotypes, and creates a human connection. The problem is that every exchange involves athletic ability. Not every older adult has these physical abilities, some excel at other non-physical tasks, and eventually aging does involve physical decline. The olders in the video made the cut because they can move like younger people. This is a narrow and punishing metric, because it suggests that the way to have value in old age is to “act young.” The video is steeped in age denial, as are the comments of the older participants, who say things like “Age doesn’t matter” and “When people start stopping, that’s when they start getting old.” Instead of fundamentally challenging ageist stereotypes, it simply postpones them. Frailty and immobility lie ahead, just farther down the road. This scenario idealizes the “young old,” and does a grave disservice to all the 80-, 90- and 100-year-olds who continue to get around, contribute to their communities, and show younger people a thing or