Ageism
Assumption, myths, and social confinement lead society to under value, stereotype, and overlook the importance of senior citizens in the community. Often seniors are viewed as unproductive, ineffective, and dependent. To view senior citizens for what they no longer do verses what they are doing perpetuates a negative stereo type for the elder community and reinforces ageism, because society continues to put social constrictions on them. Parsons (1993) notes that society views the aged as an “increasing burden on society because they are unproductive, increasingly frail, and vulnerable with their decreasing ability to perform activities of daily living, and frequently poor mobility”, (Brague Deacon). Continuing to put social constraints and overlook senior citizens contributions is shortchanging society because there is a misconception about the lifestyle facts concerning senior citizens, and there is ignorance fueling the fire to ageism.
Ageism an attitude that discriminates, separates, stigmatizes, or otherwise disadvantages older adults on the basis of chronologic age. Most senior citizens are mentally and physically capable of actively contributing to society regardless of age. Unfortunately, society continues to misunderstand seniors as…
Some example would include a phase like “don’t be an old fuddy-dud”, comedians focusing on negativity surrounding seniors, and commercials creating stereotypic elder characters to sell products. Adults as well as children take part in disrespecting, generalizing, and excluding elders from everyday life; professional talk past the elders, younger generations mock old fashions ways, and society pokes fun at the lack of technology seniors use. The continuation of ageism does not only strip senior citizens of dignity it also impacts their quality of life putting more social constraints on how they can add to…
