Introduction to Age Stereotypes and Ageism
Despite the fact that medical advancements have made humans more long-lived, prejudice and discrimination still plague people’s prospects for longer lives. In a perfect world, everyone views themselves as equal, regardless of ethnicity, financial level, gender, or age. Ageism, or age discrimination, is ingrained in our society and permeates our ideas and attitudes. People are so terrified of getting old that they treat senior citizens differently. It is so pervasive that the healthcare system, which is expected to be in charge of giving older people the treatment they deserve, continues to downplay the risks of ageism. According to recent research by the Institute of Medicine, even though older people are significant healthcare consumers, there are still unfavorable perceptions about them in the medical field (Sallehuddin et al., 2020). Regarding the amount and level of care given to elderly patients and their well-being outcomes, ageist attitudes, bias, and discrimination are possible obstacles to health equality.
Numerous studies show that conversations between healthcare professionals and elderly individuals can sometimes be patronizing and inefficient. In general, doctors consult with older patients less commonly than they do with younger patients when making medical choices. Furthermore, while treating senior patients as opposed to younger ones, doctors are frequently less understanding, polite, interested, and upbeat. The ability of older persons to recover from illness and their health behaviors, such as their choices to participate in cognitive, relational, and physical activities and seek medical attention, are also influenced by stereotypes. Older people are often stereotyped as being complicated and unpleasant, as well as feeble and helpless. These presumptions cause prejudice, a refusal to acknowledge and respect older persons’ needs, or a tendency to approach them less positively than younger ones.
Definitions and Terms
- Ageism: Discrimination or stereotyping against people or groups based on their age.
- Infantilization: A pattern of behavior where a person of authority acts childishly when interacting with, responding to, or treating an older person.
- Stereotypes: A general opinion of a specific group of people. People may have this expectation of every member of a given group.
- Prejudice: A sentiment of unjustified hostility toward someone or something because of a particular trait
- Life expectancy: A statistical estimation of the typical lifespan of an organism based on its current age, birth year, and other demographic characteristics.
- Institutionalized discriminatory norms and behaviors: Discriminatory practices and policies that routinely deny members of weaker groups access to opportunities and resources.
- Impairment: Reduction or loss of functionality or ability
- Physical capacity: Physical characteristics, acts, or things are tied to a person’s body Instead of being related to a person’s mind.
- Mental capacity: Being able to communicate and make decisions individually.
- Epidemiology: The area of medicine that deals with the prevalence, potential control, and other aspects of health-related issues.
Strengths and Other Positive Aspects of Age Stereotypes and Ageism
The aging of the population is not solely caused by rising life expectancy. Thus, society must recognize the potential contribution that older individuals may make to economies and societies both now and in the future and that institutions and structures are in place to allow them to do so. Much of the world’s food is produced on small farms run by older individuals, including many women. Older farmers can still play a significant role in implementing innovative farming practices and technologies when given the proper support.
In metropolitan regions, many older people remain engaged in the official job market. Much evidence from Latin America, Asia, and Africa shows that older men and women continue to be productive in the informal labor market (Poonpolkul, 2020).
A recent study from Ethiopia noted that older women worked as domestic servants, dealers, and craft producers, while older males worked in construction and trade. Similarly to this, in India, older women handle household support jobs while older men frequently manage small companies, including trade. As family dynamics and resources have shifted across developing nations due to poverty, migration, and the loss of the middle-adult generation owing to HIV, this has assumed particular significance. These older adults are not a burden on the neighborhood; they care for younger generations and their extended families while working hard to provide for their basic needs, including food, shelter, and emotional support.
Challenges Caused by Age Stereotypes and Ageism
Due to the belief that their feelings are unimportant, young and elderly patients may experience coercion or violence in the hospital setting. They can receive less compassionate treatment from staff or be made to go through procedures. The harasser may be a work colleague, the victim’s boss, a supervisor in a different department, a client or customer, or a person who is not an employee of the firm. The most blatant example of ageism is frequently this, which is a challenge to individuals primarily in the workplace, where they receive unwelcoming treatment based on their age. This can lead to social withdrawal and loneliness, resulting in various issues, including increased stress.
The complicated system of social exclusion of older people includes deprivation of assets, privileges, products, and facilities as people age, as well as the inability to engage in the typical interactions and activities available to the vast majority of individuals across the various and numerous spheres of society. While receiving sympathy and assistance, older individuals are also frequently ignored and socially isolated (Shuchman, 2019). The healthcare system and the job market are two key areas where ageist behaviors are pervasive.
In all areas, institutionalized discriminatory norms and behaviors that further older persons’ social isolation can be formed from ageist mindsets and beliefs. People claimed that they had experienced age-based discrimination on various interpersonal and health difficulties, including being disrespected, threatened, and given subpar medical care. Most seniors see infantilizing speech patterns as patronizing and insulting, despite the fact that many health professionals view them as loving and supportive. Despite evidence to the contrary, older people hold the practice of infantilizing elders in poor regard. They support the advantages of speaking slowly and loudly to dependent, institutionalized people to suit fundamental requirements. According to linguistic studies, speakers frequently employ accommodations depending on their presumptions about the skills of the listener (Moon, 2022). The elderly are categorized as having impaired physical and mental capacities, which is unfortunate since it might cause caregivers to accommodate residents by assuming a standard degree of incompetence rather than meeting the specific client’s communication needs. It is typical for individuals to look after the elderly. However, they may feel ashamed and irritated when others handle them like toddlers or in an infantilizing manner.
By demonstrating how the elderly are frequently seen via negative, stereotypical perspectives, caregivers infantilize senior residents. Older people frequently experience infantilization and pity because they are seen as less capable than younger people. Elders are frequently addressed in a patronizing, disrespectful manner and handled as if they are incompetent. This therapy may cause elderly patients to exhibit behaviors resembling cognitive impairment. In the recruiting process, age discrimination occurs when one candidate is chosen over another based on age. By industry, companies may have different minimum hiring ages. In this case, they choose not to recruit someone because they believe that person is too old to have the necessary enthusiasm and fresh ideas for the position.
Companies are working harder than ever to create more inclusive and varied workplaces. Age is essential to equality and diversity, although it is typically viewed through the lenses of color, religion, and sex. Unfortunately, hidden biases frequently impact recruiting procedures, making recruiters unconsciously avoid older candidates depending on the circumstance and widespread prejudices based on ageism.
Solutions and Strategies to Help Combat the Challenges Caused by Age Stereotypes and Ageism
The individuals should spend more time with kids, grandchildren, younger coworkers, or younger members of their neighborhood. Due to this, they can probably discover both significant similarities and differences and make an effort to be receptive and cognizant of how they see the world. They should also become mentors in that they should Look for chances to pass on information and skills locally, such as through mentoring programs, and think about the advantages they can provide to younger people.
Ageist sentiments can be refuted verbally, and a message can be posted. The risk of mental health problems, including anxiety and suicidal thoughts, can be decreased by resisting age-related preconceptions, which can positively impact mental health. With that in mind, elderly individuals should try to keep their sense of independence as much as possible. Social activities can include frequent get-togethers at a coffee shop and excursions overseas with their closest friends.
These affected individuals also stand a higher chance of avoiding the negative impacts of loneliness. This can be achieved by strengthening their social support system. The affected individuals should also stay current on the topics they find interesting. One misconception about older adults is that they are mired in the past and cannot comprehend the present.
The elderly can participate in community life through volunteer work, mentoring, and higher education, among other civic and social activities. Older adults must be given more chances to participate in society, particularly outside work, because of increased healthy life expectancy. However, “active aging” does not necessarily apply to the “oldest old,” who still have to deal with social stigmas. Choosing to pay attention to the positives can help overcome any negative signals. The affected individuals should make a list of the advantages that come with aging. Prejudice and discrimination toward aging and elderly adults can severely affect seniors’ mental and physical well-being discrimination.
It is quite evident that discrimination may result in seniors living shorter lives. Therefore, a positive attitude can reduce the risk posed by prejudice.
The desire to spend more time with family and friends, align with a partner’s job and retirement programs, financial benefits, or pursue different careers or opportunities with lower financial risk can all pull factors for retirement.
Conclusion
Organizational stigma, age norms that discourage employment into later adulthood, and old age are all factors that promote stereotyping among the elderly. These are presumptions regarding reduced productivity, poorer health, and older people’s resistance to learning and change. These age norms impact older people’s recruiting and retention chances and their accessibility to rewards and employment training. For financial and personal reasons, older persons opt to continue working after they are eligible to retire. Thus, in order to change one’s unfavorable attitudes toward older people, appropriate initiatives must be developed to ensure that no one lives in isolation from the rest of society, but rather everyone ought to continue contributing to programs that care about the welfare of the older generation. Moreover, fighting ageism is only a matter of standing up for justice and equality.
References
Moon, G. (2022). Infantilization of the Asian American elderly and the nature of the media. Asian American Research Journal, 2(0), 1-14.
Poonpolkul, P. (2020). Age-dependent risk aversion: Re-evaluating fiscal policy impacts of population ageing. SSRN Electronic Journal, (88), 1-44.
Sallehuddin, H., Tan, M., Blundell, A., Gordon, A., & Masud, T. (2020). Development of a Malaysian undergraduate geriatric medicine curriculum. Aging Medicine and Healthcare, 11(3), 82-88.
Shuchman, M. (2019). How exclusion from the WHO is affecting health care in Taiwan. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 191(31), E872-E873.