How should we treat the elderly in our society?
We must remain diligent and work very hard to ensure that our eldest members of society are always treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve. Circle each appropriate response: For the purposes of this questionnaire the aging (elderly) population refers to anyone 65 years of age and older.
What are some interesting statistics about the elderly population?
Currently, 25% of the elderly have a mental disorder like depression, anxiety, dementia, PTSD, and more. Every 13 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall. Every 20 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Accidents abound with the elderly population.
How does the public hold of older people affect the elderly?
The perceptions the public hold of older people can impact on the elderly in employment, education, health services, and the overall treatment of older adults.
What is the problem of the elderly in Japan?
Japan: An elderly predicament Like the Chinese and the Koreans, the Japanese prize filial piety and expect children to dutifully tend to their parents. But Japan also faces the unique problem of tending to an increasingly elderly population. According to Social Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Perspective,...
What is the national shame?
A ‘National Shame’ is what health secretary Jeremy Hunt called the West’s treatment of the elderly back in 2013, and it’s sad to say that not much has changed since then. In Western culture old age is often presented negatively.
Which country has the elderly rights law?
China. In China, an ‘Elderly Rights Law’ was introduced to inform adult children that they ‘should never neglect or snub elderly people’ and must make arrangements to visit them ‘often’, regardless of their proximity. Although not clear, on how often is enough, the law itself shows that in China, old people are not to be messed with. Japan.
Which country celebrates its 60th birthday?
Although not clear, on how often is enough, the law itself shows that in China, old people are not to be messed with. Japan. In Japan, the 60th and 70th birthday are marked with big celebrations where children perform dances and offer gifts. Singapore.
Is old age viewed as distasteful?
Old age is often viewed with distaste, as our society tends to associate it with immobility and the inability to work, despite the technologically advanced age we live in today. Nevertheless, residential care homes still operate as a common destination for the elderly and society continues to celebrate the youth.
Can you sue your adult children in Singapore?
Just like China, there are laws which place the inertest of the elderly at heart: ‘In Singapore, parents can sue their adult children for an allowance; those who fail to comply can face six months in jail,’ according to the Associated Press.
Do grandparents live with families?
Grandparents tend to live in with families and aging is celebrated. For instance, Karen H. Meyers writes in The Truth About Death and Dying, ‘African-American funerals tend to be life-affirming and to have a celebratory air intermingled with the sorrow.’. India.
Why is financial wellness important?
Because people are living longer, the financial cushion of pensions, retirement, and social security aren’t enough. Financial wellness requires that the elderly take new jobs later in life that keep them active and alert. There are new financial planning models needed.
What are the challenges of dealing with the growing number of elderly?
They are: Long-term care that works better than anything we have in place today. Use the advances in medicine and behavioral health to keep the elderly active and healthy.
Why is aging in place important?
Service efforts which promote aging in place are beneficial to a senior’s quality of life. The result is significant cost savings and dividends in society. But many elderly are never given an option to age in place. They are living in unkempt conditions or may be at risk in their living quarters.
How many people will be 65 in 2035?
Some of the US elderly population statistics may surprise you. By 2035 in the United States there will be 78 million people age 65 and older. That statistic is a first in the U.S.
Why do scientists think the brain has a reserve?
In other words, the brain has a ‘reserve,’ and you can keep it loaded and ready to use, if you participate in mental stimulation activities and events.
How often do older adults die from falls?
Every 13 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall. Every 20 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Accidents abound with the elderly population.
Do employers consider resumes of elderly applicants?
Many employers in the US job market, don’t consider the resumes of elderly applicants. This cuts off one lifeline the elderly need. The lifeline is vital for the accumulation of financial savings through their late in life jobs and careers.
How many people will be 65 in 2060?
The number of seniors aged 65 years or older in the United States is expected to more than double from approximately 46 million people today to more than 98 million people in 2060. By 2060 one in four Americans will be 65 or older.
What percentage of seniors are considered high need?
About 43 percent of senior citizens in the United States are categorized as high need. That means the person has multiple chronic conditions or requires assistance with daily activities like cooking.
Do seniors face barriers to healthcare?
A recent study that examined the health of people aged 65 years and older in the United States and 10 other high-income countries found that American seniors were sicker and more likely to face barriers in accessing healthcare than their counterparts in other countries. The authors of the study, which drew on findings from ...
Is the United States a good place to be a senior citizen?
Researchers say lack of health insurance coverage is a big reason older adults in the United States lag behind seniors in other developed nations. The United States may not be the best place to be a senior citizen. A recent study that examined the health ...
What is ageism in society?
Ageism is the one form of social prejudice that people from all social back-grounds have to deal with. We live in a world where youth is valued over old age and where old people are often mistreated and negatively stereotyped. Major social institutions are largely behind these negative attitudes toward the elderly, particularly the mass media. The current study examined people’s attitudes and feelings about the elderly and about growing old. Survey data were collected on 154 respondents living in Southern California. Respondents provided information on their feelings and attitudes about the elderly and about how society views and treats the elderly. Respondents also provided information about their feelings, attitudes, and fears about growing old themselves. The data revealed that there is a general sense of ambivalence about the elderly and about growing old. Although the findings were mixed, young people appear to have more negative feelings in general and there appears to be a greater concern among women about growing old. Native Americans and Middle Eastern respondents had the most favorable views about the elderly. The findings of the study support the position that ageism is still a social problem and that most people have somewhat mixed feelings about the elderly and about growing old. Future research should look further at how the mass media and larger cultural stereotypes and attitudes affect the lives, functioning, and treatment of our eldest members of society.
What is the purpose of the social group?
The purpose is to get a better sense of which social groups may have the most negative attitudes toward the elderly and which social groups may have the most concern or fear about growing old in American society (e.g., gender, ethnicity).
What is the fastest growing segment of the population in America?
In America, the fastest growing segment of the population is those 65 years of age and older. The baby boomers are now among the ranks of the elderly. It is going to be necessary to try and change the culture and people’s general attitudes about aging and the elderly.
What is America known for?
America is well known for its obsession with youth. Youth and beauty are glorified across all forms of media and we are taught from a very young age that “new things” are the best. People fixate on trying to look much younger that they are. Plastic surgery for both men and women is at an all-time high. Most forms of plastic surgery are elective and have more to do with vanity and physical appearance than anything else. Hollywood movies typically only cast young women in leading roles, and leading men are typically strong, fit, and virile. Fashion magazines marketed to women only put young, beautiful, and thin women on their covers. Men’s magazines pretty much do the same, but with male models, actors, and famous athletes. What are the messages being sent? What does this do to our sense of self, our self-esteem, and our attitudes toward aging? How does this shape our views toward the elderly, and our own concerns about getting old?
Is ageism a social problem?
Ageism is a significant social problem . Researchers and academics need to place more emphasis on this larger cultural problem and try to figure out ways to minimize its impact on our aging population. In America, the fastest growing segment of the population is those 65 years of age and older.
Do young people have a negative attitude toward the elderly?
It is hypothesized that young people will generally demonstrate a more negative attitude toward the elderly and toward aging in general than older people. It is predicted that relatively young respondents will also show a greater fear of aging than the older respondents.
Does ageism exist in young people?
The evidence seems to indicate that ageism does not exist in very young people. Ageism appears to be a learned phenomenon through exposure to larger cultural and societal biases and prejudices. There is a widespread belief that the mass media is a central producer of prejudice and bias against the elderly.
How does ageism affect elder abuse?
Ageism and ageist attitudes is one of the factors that can contribute to elder abuse by creating a fertile environment in which the abuse can develop, leading to age discrimination, and devaluing and disempowering older people. The elderly themselves feels less valuable to society because of society’s perception of them.
Why is it important to understand aging?
It is important for individuals to increase their knowledge and understanding of aging so as to prevent ageist behaviours, discrimination and maltreatment of the elders in our societies today . The public’s perception of older adults is very unpleasant and can implant fear into individuals who are approaching the retirement age. This pessimistic view of being old not only makes younger people’s evolution into older age one of misery, but this despondency is mentally projected out towards the elders of our society (HubPages, 2012). This essay therefore, examines the factors that may perhaps be accountable for the perception of the elderly in societies today, theoretical perspective, effects of ageism on the elderly and suggestions that can change society’s negative perspective toward aging and to promote positive images.
What does ageing mean?
Aging is often associated with balding, graying or thinning hair, and wrinkling of the skin. The media in trying to sell their product or service often reflect ageism by depicting the physical changes and unattractiveness of the elderly resulting in older people being stereotyped as ugly.
Why are elderly people perceived as positive?
Some elderly are perceived in a positive light from time to time because they are actively involved in the community, loyal, sociable, and warm.
Why is the elderly population increasing?
The elderly population seems to be increasing significantly, due to the fact that more and more people are attaining the retirement age (65 years) and are living longer. In societies today the elderly is seen as less valuable since their individualism, self-reliance, and independence would have been altered.
What are the factors that influence how the elderly are perceived by members of society?
An individual’s age, gender, level of knowledge, interaction with old adults and how frequent, cultural influences, modernization and the media are all factors that may influence how the elderly is perceived by members of society.
Why do people think children are worth fighting for?
In general, society considers the children to be the future generation and they are worth fighting for. However, they will think twice when it comes to fighting for the elderly because in their view they have already lived their lives and are no longer as valuable to society.
Key Elderly Care Statistics and Challenges
Elderly Research Studies
- Research studies have proposed the challenges in dealing with the growing number of elderly are in four overall generic areas. They are: 1. Long-term care that works better than anything we have in place today. 2. Use the advances in medicine and behavioral health to keep the elderly active and healthy. 3. Community services need to be available to...
Elderly Care Issues
- Under the umbrella of the four generic areas which affect the US elderly population, there are ten challenges we need to be aware. Each one of the elderly issues listed below has significant gaps in services which are needed. All of the issues below also represent excellent market opportunities.
Financial Wellness
- Because people are living longer, the financial cushion of pensions, retirement, and social security aren’t enough. Financial wellness requiresthat the elderly take new jobs later in life that keep them active and alert. There are new financial planning models needed. Financial models that take into account the elderly’s projected life expectancy. No one lives forever but with the longer life span…
Mobility
- You may notice as you age, it becomes increasingly difficult to move around as you once did. Most homes, as they are designed today are not meant for the elderly. There are too many steps, window heights, and other physical obstacles. It’s important the elderly stay cautious and not put themselves at risk in unsafe homes or environments. Another challenge for the elderly needs m…
Mental Stimulation
- Scientists now think there are brain activities which help protect the brain’s health. In other words, the brain has a ‘reserve,’ and you can keep it loaded and ready to use, if you participate in mental stimulation activities and events. Cognitive training can improve participants mental skillseven ten years after the training occurred. Activities also keep your mind active. You can sign up for a coo…
Caregiving and Care Coordination
- You may not want to think about it, but you may need help with your care as you age. Or you may be dealing with someone who needs care right now. Two-thirds of the elderly have at least two chronic conditions requiring treatment. It is these chronic diseases that take 75% of the nation’s healthcaremoney. But the government hasn’t caught up with what may be needed to improve th…
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
- We already know the brain needs to stay active and stimulated as we age. But many in the elderly population don’t take care of their mental health and have substance abuse issues. Some elderly abuse their prescription medicine or doctor shop for new medications. Currently, 25% of the elderly havea mental disorder like depression, anxiety, dementia, PTSD, and more.
Physical Accidents
- Every 13 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall. Every 20 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Accidents abound with the elderlypopulation. $50 billion is spent each year in our nation, treating the elderly who fall or have an accident. Medicare and Medicaid pay 75% of the $50 billion. But that rate of payment cannot sustain itself. The challenge is creating …
Elderly Abuse
- There are times when the elderly will explain away bruises or gashes on their body by saying they fell. But many times, if an investigation is launched caregivers or family members will discover their loved one has been abused. Sometimes this abuse is in their nursing home, assisted living facility, or with a caregiver. It is vital this challenge be understood and prevented.