Much more than a number
The other day I read a letter that was sent to me a few years ago from one of my former neighbors. She was an elderly women who took care of me while my mom was at work. While reading this letter I was amazed at how "young" she sounded. She'd make a joke and then say "*laugh, ha-ha*" If I didn't know the writer, I would have assumed she was a teenager. A few years ago I was playing poker online. I was in a room full of people that all seemed to know each other. They were laughing and joking as if they were my age, but it turned out they were all in their 70's and 80's. I couldn't understand why they weren't "acting their age."Those two little antectodes are just some of the many examples of the overall misconception of the elderly. Media, for the most part, has shown aged individuals in a bad lighting. Ageism is a problem in society. It's not as salient as racism, or sexism, but it's there nonetheless. In other countries and cultures the elderly are held with in the highest regards. In many African tribes for instance, the oldest member is usually elected leader and believed to be the wisest of the group.
Our culture has lost that grand respect for the elderly. They're made fun of, being called senile and weak. When they get to a certain age they're placed in nursing homes and left in the hands of health professionals. They might be old but they are still full of life, and vital to our society. The next time you see an elderly person, whether it's a family member or a stranger, try to put yourself in their shoes and understand how hard it is for them to live in our current society. Change is needed.
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageism
http://www.apa.org/pi/aging/ageism.html posted by psychobabbler @ 1:05 PM
