Ageism And Identification Of Depression

If the older patient’s complaints during a routine office visit are being ignored because of their chronological age, successful aging and quality of life will certainly be impacted by lack the of treatment for potential mental conditions. The fact that this ignorance can directly lead to suicide among this particular cohort more than any other group is frightening. Considering that social isolation is a primary reason for the onset of depression among older adults, the importance of physician and other health care provider identification of depression through screening and preventive measures are imperative. According to Blakemore (2009), 40 percent of older people who visit their general physician, half of older adult inpatients in general hospitals and 60 percent of long-term care residents have mental health problems and are often denied access to the same mental health services as younger adults including psychological therapist and drug interventions (p. 6). These numbers are astounding among a group of individuals whose physical health could be directly impacted by improved mental health care. Again, the ageism that influences screening and prevention among older adults is directly impacting the quality of life and chance at active aging among the older population.

Cancer

“Almost 60 percent of all new cancers and 70 percent of cancer-related deaths occur in people age 65 and older” (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2012, p. 131). The fact that older people are often denied preventive treatment for cancer based on their chronological age is another example of ageism. A survey completed in the United Kingdom actually found that half of 50 cancer clinical nurse specialists had worked with a patient who had been denied treatment fo...

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...with a review of staffing ratios in one local hospital demonstrating that the therapists who worked with older adults had double the caseload of those working with younger patients (Klein & Liu, 2010, pp. 342-343). This sort of unequal treatment most definitely impacts quality of care and is a direct result of the discriminatory patterns that have been conveyed by public policy throughout history. It has also been reported that attitude is not the primary factor related to a physician’s choice not to work with the oldest-old population; it is actually related to the negative pressures instilled by the health care system (Meisner, 2012, p. 68-69). “Physicians reported less control over the care they give because of the administrative and financial pressures…” (Meisner, 2012, p. 68-69). Medicare patients require more paperwork; there is less supportive staff and