Ageism: Negative Stereotypes Of Older People

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Not only are negative stereotypes harmful to older people, but they can even shorten their lifespan. There are many stereotypes that older people often hear like, “it smells like old people”. This saying is commonly heard and usually these stereotypes negatively affect the elderly. Although ageism can negatively affect older people in many hurtful ways, organization are making an effort to inform society and stop ageism. There are serious effects of ageism on an individual's health with the mindset that old people are weak and incapable:, iIt may impact people’s view of themselves. It impacts a person's mental health because all they hear is about how they are incapable of anything. In a study of 660 people 50 years and older, “those with more positive self perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those with negative perceptions of aging” (applied social psychology). Many psychologists agree that a “ a person’s view of his or …show more content…

Age discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) less favorably because of his or her age . Many employers believe that older workers do not have energy to work as hard as other younger workers. That is not necessarily true, older people might be better at their job because they technically are more experienced. Society assumes that the elderly have greatly reduced physical or mental capacities, but the fact is that “only 5.4% of older adults are placed in nursing homes due to either physical or emotional reasons”. That leaves the other 94.6% that are choosing to live in a home with their family or independently. Some seniors even choose to continue their education by taking college classes. There is also an “age discrimination in employment act’’ that protects anyone 40 or older and makes it illegal to discriminate in hiring, promoting, setting wages or firing

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