Ageism in America - 1709 Words

Ageism in America The term ageism was coined in 1969 by Robert Butler, the first director of the National Institute on Aging. He used the word to describe the process of systematic stereotyping of people because they are old. Ageism is a term that is similar to other ‘isms in society, such as racism and sexism. Ageism allows other generations to see older people as different from themselves; thus they subtly cease to identify with their elders as human beings (Butler, 1975). All people, including the young as well as the old, can be discriminated against based on age. Today ageism is more broadly defined as any prejudice or discrimination against or in favor of an age group (Palmore, 1990). The Census Bureau estimates†¦show more content†¦In a study published by the American Psychological Association, Yale School of Public Health, Professor Becca Levy and her colleagues concluded that old people with positive perceptions of aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those with ne gative images of growing older. Levy said many Americans start developing stereotypes about the elderly during childhood, reinforced them throughout adulthood, and enter old age with attitudes toward their own age group as unfavorable as younger people s attitudes (Levy, Slade, MD, Kasl, SV, 2002). While, in general, the elderly are considered a negative part of American society, some cultures around the world place great honor and bestow high status onto the elderly members of their society. Concerning the aging process, elders are respected for their knowledge and experience. In fact, in some cultures, it becomes their responsibility to pass down their wisdom and learning to the younger members of society. In Native American cultures, all members of a tribe care for the elderly. Death is an accepted fact of natural life, not to be approached with fear. The soul is believed to be immortal, in the sense of experiencing a changing of worlds (Deloria, 1973). In countries in the East, growing older is an outward sign of one s increase in knowledge and experiences. Since this positive attitude of aging is passed from one generation to the next,Show MoreRelatedAgeism in America during the Great Depression504 Words   |  2 Pages2-10 % it is still pretty high (â€Å"Ageism in America†). Though the Great Depression affected most of the people of the United States of America the ones who were affected by the most in everything but physical abuse were the elderly. What exactly is ageism in the 1930’s and who invented the term is a question that should be answered and is. Thankfully it is answered for us. According to Open Society institute who wrote the article Ageism in America said that ageism is a term that was invented by DrRead MoreAgeism : Stereotypes And Stereotyping Of Older People Today Essay1178 Words   |  5 PagesAgeism is a popular and important topic to discuss as it represents a great issue in today’s society. The article â€Å"Ageism in America† focuses on the biases and stereotyping of older people here in America. The elderly is highly discriminated against and we tend to not realize this enough. Ageism is an ever growing concern in the United States and is an issue that needs to be resolved. There is a concern of what will become of ageism in the future. The term ageism is based on an individuals or societiesRead Moreageism1028 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Ageism Kristen Dorman Ageism is the discrimination against an individual or group due to age. While ageism is a real problem, many people tend to ignore it because it is so often practiced, people don’t even realize it is happening. The forms of ageism range from the very obvious to the more discrete, almost unrecognizable discrimination. While ageism is evident in all age groups, it tends to be more dominant among the elderly and teenagers or young adults. When most people envision an elderlyRead MoreAgeism Essay881 Words   |  4 Pagesrest of the world. Most of them live in nursing homes where they are far away from their families. Others live by themselves where they have no family members visiting them and leaving them to take care of everything. Some researchers believe that ageism, in the form of negative stereotypes, directly affects longevity. In a study published by the American Psychological Association, Yale School of Public Health professor Becca Levy and her colleagues concluded that old people with positive perceptionsRead MoreEssay on Ageism or Agism621 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Ageism, or agism, is a prejudice or discrimination against an individual or group in society on the basis of ones conception of age. A  prejudice is a  preconceived  mentality, judgement, or opinion that may have no  reason nor basis. Discrimination is the expression of prejudice resulting in differential treatment of different groups or individuals in society. This may include unjust behaviors, actions, language(s) and degrading terms, or limitations  restricting anothers rights. A person who participatesRead MoreDiscrimmination against the Elderly Essay955 Words   |  4 PagesRobert Butler (1975) was one of the first writers on ageism and he defined it as â€Å"a process of systematic stereotyping of and discrimination against people because they are old. . . . Old people are categorized as senile, rigid in thought and manner, old fashioned in morality and skills† (p. 35). Ageism is a form of oppression of elders by youth and adults. Ageism intersects with classism and sexism to produce differences in distribution of retirement resources for the elderly. Women of all ethnicRead MoreReducing the Divide between Young and Old1299 Words   |  6 PagesThe area of diversity that we will look at here is Ageism. First we will discuss some of the more important barriers that are present because of age. We will discuss how this group is affected by discrimination, prejudices, and stereotypes and some of the sources that perpetuate it. Finally we’ll attempt to show some strategies that both young and old can use to promote communication and understanding to hopefully reduce the divide between the young and old. In ancient times the old we’re valuedRead MoreAgeism : Ageism And Prejudice Against The Old Age1506 Words   |  7 Pages Like sexism and racism, ageism is discrimination, a deep and profound prejudice against the elderly. Elderly individuals constantly face negligence because of Ageism. In this society of isms, racism, sexism, and ageism; these things create 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 and be treated with dignity and respect. However, pretty much anyone over the age of 50 is a target for an attackRead MoreAgeism Still Alive And Lurking Still This Day Essay1139 Words   |  5 Pageswill forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,† (Maya Angelou). Ageism still alive and lurking still this day. I believe that people are prejudice to anything and everything. Today ageism is big in the world today. This really play a huge role in the elderly life span. The history of ageism is the process of stereotyping against people because their old. To me ageism is like sexism and racism, they treat older woman like they’re not human. Like they have these seniorRead MoreAgeism : An Underestimated Type Of Discrimination1609 Words   |  7 PagesAgeism: An Underestimated Type of Discrimination When the suffix â€Å"-ism† comes to mind, one typically thinks of the more common forms of discrimination throughout society today: racism, sexism, elitism, ableism, ethnocentrism, classism... the list could continue. Ageism, coined by Robert Butler in 1969, however, is one of the many forms of â€Å"isms† that may not be immediately conjured up, or even considered a threat to society at all. It is a fact of life that all living organisms age. I will, you will