Essay On Ageism

The past few decades have witnessed rapid ageing of the population worldwide. As the population ages, prejudice toward elders has been expressed in a variety of discriminatory stereotypes. Both in the family, society abuse and prejudice are unacceptable modes of behaviors. Documenting the extent of ageism can lay the groundwork for a change in social attitudes and expectations and contribute to legislation and enforcement to achieve a cultural and personal transformation. Generally, elders are considered a vulnerable group, mainly because they risk a reduction in participation in various domains of life through the loss of paid work, a decrease in income, an increase in health problems and “adaptability issues”, such as resistance to change and problems with technology, particularly computer technology. The extent to which this actually occurs in America and in China is what this paper seeks to ascertain, by analyzing various reports, surveys and journals. My aim is to also begin to fill this gap in the literature, by comparing Chinese and American societies in terms of the extent to which they exhibit the age stereotypes.

Introduction

The world is experiencing an unprecedented increase in average life expectancy and population aging described as a revolution in longevity. In the twentieth and twenty first centuries the industrialized world has gained over 30 additional years of life, greater than had been attained during the preceding 5,000 years of human history and transforming what was once the experience of the few to the destiny of many (Pillemer & Finkelhor 1988) stated that in primitive societies old age was frequently highly valued. Elders often provided knowledge, experience, and institutional memory that was of ...

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...n stereotypic assumptions, Physical abuse, Stereotypes about older persons and old age. Institutional Ageism is missions, rules, and practices that discriminate against individuals and or groups because of their older age. For examples, mandatory retirement absence of elders in clinical trials devaluing of older persons in cost benefit analysis. Intentional Ageism is the idea that attitudes, rules, or practices that are carried out with the knowledge that they are biased against persons or groups based on their older age. “Intentional ageism” includes carrying out practices that take advantage of the vulnerabilities of older persons. Unintentional Ageism is the idea that attitudes, rules, or practices that are carried out without the perpetrator’s awareness that they are biased against persons or groups based on their older age; also known as “inadvertent ageism.”