Sociology / AGEISM
AGEISM
This refers to a preconceived notion, judgment or biased opinion on people on the basis of age (IFA, 2018). When this bias or preconceived notion becomes prevalent, it turns into discrimination. And age discrimination is prevalent in all social levels in the community, government, industries and society in general. Ageism views people in stereotypes as to their ages, but older people are the most common targets of bias. Older people, also called senior citizens in some countries, are perceived or assumed to be physically and mentally deficient as opposed to younger groups as more capable. Senior citizens are those reaching retirement age, which, according to societies, are from 60 or 65 years old and older (IFA, 2018).
Individual Ageism
Individual ageism occurs when an older person is disfavored, separated or even made fun of for their old age, the aging process itself in them and for their very person (IFA, 2018). Society envisions or expects aging people to become ill, weak, disabled and eventually die. While younger people attribute wisdom to older people and extend care for their expected or assumed frailty and disability, many older people or seniors remain physically or mentally capable. It is this bias that tends to induce their incapacity and negative mental or emotional conditions, which lead to depression and atrophy of mind and body (IFA, 2018). This is how individual discrimination applies to ageism. Every person who reaches a certain age at which society expects him or her to turn forgetful, frail, sickly and nearing death is viewed with this bias.
Old African Americans are the biggest targets of individual discrimination (IFA, 2018).
Institutional Discrimination
This is an enlarged version of individual discrimination, based on age. It is prevalent and highly resistant in law, employment, housing, healthcare, entertainment and educational institutions (Fitzpatrick, 2009). The intended move of the National Health Service to make ageism illegal appears to be a mere political posture, not an honest-to-goodness effort at improving health services for the elderly population. Prominent doctors and other health professionals themselves who care for seniors or elderly patients comment on the low quality of hospital care extended to their patients. This condition is a clear demonstration of institutional discrimination against the older population in healthcare. Due to the clamor for better health service for this population, the Health Secretary declared that the new Equality Bill will tackle discrimination against old people. But the pronouncement is seen as a mere political gesture meant to please the under-rated sector (Fitzpatrick, 2009).
New social trends are strong and apparent in Britain in the last two decades among seniors (Stannah, 2016). These over-65-year-olds attend rock concerts, wear the latest in fashion, travel frequently to untrodden destinations, and have been deep into social media, supposedly youngsters’ domain. A recent study on the concept of ageing as changing discovered a new definition for “old.” If a woman was old at 50 in the past, an equivalent today can be a frequently world-traveling legal practitioner. “Old” has ceased to be confined to physical age or to retirement. People of 50s, 60s and even 70s and over remain active and self-sufficient even in these supposed final years. The factors that confine 50s, 60s and 70s bound to retirement and disability and death have delayed aging through better healthcare, modified social roles and expectations, and economic self-sufficiency through elevated incomes as a few of these factors. While they should be retirees, the lifestyle, taste and health of many of these over-65s now deviate from those in other age groups’. Today, one’s age no longer establish or limit his or her abilities and quality of life. society can no longer make accustomed assumptions made on this group with entirely new outlooks, capabilities and motivations (Stannah, 2016).
WORKS CITED
Fitzparick, M. (2009, Dec 1). Institutional ageism. Vol 59 # 569, British Journal of General
Practice: Royal College of Regular Practitioners. Retrieved on April 9, 2018 from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784542/pdf/bjgp59-951.pdf
IFA (2018). What is age discrimination and why is it important? International Federation on
Ageing. International Federation on Ageing. Retrieved on April 9, 2018 from
Stannah, P. (2018). Institutional ageism is still prevalent – it’s time we woke up. Huffington
Post: Oath, Inc. Retrieved on April 9, 2018 from
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