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Ageism and health care
Aging in modern society
Ageism and health care
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Age and Ageism discrimination in the National Health Service is mirrors ageism and age discrimination in society at large. It is a major fact to appraise issues of ageism and age discrimination in the United Kingdom society as a whole. “Whenever a clinical stone is turned over, ageism is revealed.” (Young, 2006, Opinion) I have come to realise that ageism is broader than the unfairness among the elderly age, it refers to deeply rooted negative beliefs about older people and the way they age, which may influence age discrimination. (McGlone and Fitzgerald, 2005, Study)
Working with the elderly and people with memory problems of all social classes made me realised that, there is a problem a cognitive belief, stereotyping and discrimination.
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The National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People (Department of Health, 2001, Policy document) affirmed that ‘NHS services will be provided, regardless of age, on the basis of clinical need alone. Social care services will not use age in their eligibility criteria or policies, to restrict access to available services. These are the people who have completed their career in paid employment paying tax and have contributed toward the society by volunteering, Holder N 2013.
When an individual unintentionally enters a room full of an unfamiliar crowd, he or she is bound to be embarrassed, but also have an apprehensive sensation of how others in that room will distinguish them. A situation like that establishes a moment in which that person realizes that all eyes are gaping at that individual. Just when that person could consider forgetting what just happened, unfortunately judgments start circulating among the unfamiliar crowd. As most people know, judgments are based off of a person’s appearance, race, religion, or a quality that doesn’t appeal to the person analyzing them. Obviously, judging is something that takes place whether someone likes it or not, but there are certain limits to it that many cross by adding
305). Society is constantly bombarded by messages informing us about how to reduce the signs of aging, instead of accepting the natural process (Germov, 2014, p. 305). These beliefs have lead to ageism being very common in society. Ageism is best defined as the negative attitudes, which are associated with the aging process (Novak, 2006, p. 3). Ageism involves an individual or group being stereotyped and experiencing discrimination due to their biological age (Novak, 2006, p. 3). This discrimination can be direct or indirect discrimination, victimisation or harassment (Johnson, 2013, p. 27). Unlike other individuals and groups who are stereotyped and discriminated against, those who are making these comments will one day themselves be of old
There are profound effects of ageism that can be harmful to a patient’s overall health. Ageism can cause physicians to consistently treat older patients unequally compared to younger adults. Unequal treatment can be divided into the under-treatment of symptoms and the over-treatment of symptoms. The imbalance in how a physician would treat a geriatric patient is ageist because the older adult is not getting fair treatment in every case. Under-treatment and over-treatment are different; however, they are both equally as harmful to a patients health.
Stereotypes affect the day to day living of the elderly, whether it is through job attainment and sustainability, access and use of healthcare, and overall personal autonomy. Due to the current aging population the government of Canada has eliminated the mandatory retirement age and is looking to raise the retirement age (Minichiello, Browne, & Kendig, 2000), from 65 to at least 70, to ensure financial stability for all in the long term (Novac et al., 2014). From the elimination of a mandatory retirement age the older workers have been subject to experience discrimination and stereotypes due to the ability to work for longer periods. Currently for every five working age people (15yrs-64yrs) there is one aged worker (65+yrs) and it is predicted that by 2050 one in less than three (estimated 2.5) will be an aged worker (Government of Canada, 2012). Positive stereotypes include a great knowledge base and the ability to perform certain tasks through experience (Greenlees, Webb, Hall, & Manley, 2007). Negative stereotypes include being frail and in poor physical shape to perform laborious tasks leading to a lack of produ...
Attitudes are the foundation of quality of care for older adults. Among health care professionals, discrimination and stereotypical behaviors are very prevalent, even though more often than not these individuals do not realize their actions are ageist. “Ageism hinders people from seeing the potential of aging, anticipation their own aging, and being responsive to the needs of older people” (McGuire, Klein & Shu-Li, 2008, p. 12). Attitudes are directly correlated with how individuals age and whether individuals stay health and live longer (McGuire, Klein & Shu-Li, 2008, p. 12). The care that older adults receive from healthcare professionals is directly influenced by that provider’s attitude about growing older. All too often, health care providers rely on a patient’s chronological age rather than their functional age when determining their needs and what interventions are prescribed. Another issue lies in providers viewing the complaints of older patients as a part of “normal aging”, therefore potentially missing life-threatening problems that may have been easily resolved. “Age is only appropriate in health treatment as a secondary factor in making medical decisions, and it should not be used as a stand-alone factor” (Nolan, 2011, p. 334).
Conversely, this is also a misconception of sorts. Ageism was a concept devised by Butler (1975) to describe how older people in general were discriminated against purely on the basis of being over a certain age by younger members of society (cited in The Open University, 2014c). Using this concept of ageism, Ms Jones is correct in what she is saying, however since Butler and Lewis defined this term, further research has been carried out into ageism and this term has evolved again as society has changed. A more modern take on ageism is defined by Bytheway (2005) cited in the K118 course material (The Open University, 2014d) as “Indeed we are all, throughout our lives, oppressed by ageism, by dominant expectations about age, expectations that dictate how we behave and relate to one another.” In my own personal experience I have been on the receiving end of ageist remarks at different stages in my life. As a teenager, it was perfectly normal for me and my friends to get told off for “loitering” if there was a group of more than 3 of us – 2 teenagers together were tolerated in our town, anymore than that were presumed to be causing trouble, even if we were quite innocently minding our own business. I am now a woman with a 7 year old, and it is amazing how many times I have been asked when my
Stereotypes that are associated with a group of older individuals might consist of this particular group being less productive than younger workers within the workplace because of the label attached to their age group. Other aspects that are associated with this group is that they are susceptible to contracting Alzheimer’s disease and they are “boring” or “forgetful”, I feel as though this is the most common stereotype. It is quite unfortunate that this type of discrimination still persists. Though, no act of discrimination should exist or be justified. It is evident that one will follow a social cue to fit in with individuals of a certain group. Author Schaefer mentions that social circumstances provide cues for a person’s attitudes. (Schaefer, 2015. Pg. 38). This notion influences others to act in a particular manner in order to receive a positive or negative reaction from individuals in their proximity. These reactions result from acts or expressions of prejudice. The normative approach, a theory of prejudice, is an exemplification of
Shaw, A. B. “In Defence of Ageism.” Journal of medical ethics 20.3 (1994): 188–194. Print.
According to DeBrew, author of “Can being ageist harm your older adult patients?” stereotypes and discrimination are evident in various aspects of patient care. “Ageism [is] defined as stereotyping or discrimination aimed at older adults and a lack of knowledge about normal changes of aging and presentation of illness in older adults (. . .)” (DeBrew, 2015). DeBrew (2015) states, “research findings suggest that ageism is common in healthcare” (DeBrew, 2015). Ageism is not only an issue in the healthcare setting, but also among older adults as well as their families. When ageism is present in the healthcare setting it poses
Ageism is a prejudice against someone because of their age, labelling the elderly as Senile, useless, incompetent. Ageism causes people to forget they were once young, ageism assumes that the elderly have nothing to offer in the world .It creates an ignorance towards what the elderly want to accomplish in life and it also hurts the elderly. This report is going to investigate and analyse the policies or legislative put in place for Ageism against the elderly .Furthermore the author is going to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of ageism and age discrimination policy for the current wellbeing of the elderly people living in residential homes. The author will also emphasize more on the impact of the policy has on the elderly people and its contribution towards the way service users are conceptualised in the UK. The report will also look at other contributing aspect such a the activity theory, conflict theory and Disengagement theory.
The term, coined by Robert Neil Butler in 1969, is a common form of discrimination in the United States and other societies that includes negative views and stereotypes about the elderly. This type of discrimination can have a significant negative impact on the care and well-being of elderly people. (Boundless 2016) With the growing amount in the baby boomers generation and the greying workforce, it is becoming a more alarming social issue when trying to determine spots in society. Ageing has a direct impact on the labour market, since improvements in life expectancy affect individual behavior in deciding to remain in work longer.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 is an act that was passed that clearly states that employers can’t be discriminate against someone based on their age 40 and older. The older adults are trying so hard to hold onto their jobs with dear life, because if not they will be nudged out and pushed aside. Not because of anything but rather because of their age. Age discrimination is on the rise as young as 50 years old. Age discrimination can happen to anyone regardless of your race, ethnic backgrounds or sexual orientation. A study was published in the Journal of Age Ageing and in the report it said that British People 50 years old and older faces discrimination about one third of them. In a resent survey older adults says job insecurity
Ageism, which can also be referred to as age discrimination is the oversimplified conception of animosity against individuals or groups because of their age. This can also be a term used to describe the attitudes and ideals used to rationalize age based narrow-mindedness and intolerance. Age discrimination has an overwhelming outcome on our economy and society and it is common for senior citizens to face discrimination in health, housing, and various other essential services (Chang, Simon, Dong, 2010). Employment can be difficult when seniors are unable to retire and have no options for another job. This creates a vulnerable situation to layoffs or dismissal when there are up and coming young people seeking the same job with less compensation.
Age discrimination continues to be a problem for both men and women that are over the age of 40 in the workforce. In year 1967, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act ADEA was passed to prohibit discrimination against workers over age 40 and older. Another law in the year 1964, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, or national origin. However there are still age discrimination and it seems to be more especially for older women more than older men. The Federal and the state should implement more regulations to protect workers' rights in all age groups, both in the younger and older generation including their race and gender.