Running Head: COMMUNITY PROBLEM REPORT

Community Problem Report: Ageism Andrea Estefania Gonzalez The University of Texas at El Paso

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Ageism Ageism, a term coined in 1967 by Dr. Robert N. Butler as an analogy to sexism and racism (Dickman, 1979), is the discrimination that people suffer by being a certain age. While ageism can occur internationally, this project will focus on it as an issue in America. The study will investigate this issue through the following questions: What is ageism and what are its effects? How the treatment of the elderly has changed in history? How can ageism affect medical attention to the elderly? And, how are people affected by ageism being protected? 1. What is ageism and what are its effects? While one could assume that ageism goes both ways with either the lack of age or the excess of it, the term ageism refers specifically to the discrimination the elderly suffer. Its effect can be noticed more dramatically in the loss of job or forced retirement. Many adults are considered senior citizens are faced with discrimination after losing their jobs. And the real challenge is not losing their main source of income, but rather facing the fear everyday that they are not being hired because of their age. Patricia Reid can relate, stating, There are these fears in the background, and they are suppressed; (Rich, 2010). She is not even 60 and has been laid off from her job and fears that she would never get a job again. Cases like this continue to astound, but her case is far from uncommon, as the elderly face discrimination in more areas than just jobs. 2. - How has the treatment of the elderly changed thru history?

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Back in antiquity the fact that people got to a certain age usually symbolized great endurance and admiration. For example, during the middle ages the life expectancy was about 30 to 40 years, and anyone who could surpass that age was worthy of respect. In contrast, the youthful American society values the young ones while the elderly are seen as something to be avoided. If anyone were to travel to the other side of the world, he or she could observe, in China, for example, that the elderly are not a burden but rather proof that things have gone right. The elderly in China are an active part of the community and they are confident about their role in the society, spending time they now have for leisure that they did not enjoy during their youth.(Clady-Giramma, 2011). Yet, compared to their Chinese counterparts, the elderly in America are often looked upon as a burden. While ethics are certainly a matter of consideration, the fact that the elderly are now reaching more than eight decades could be worrisome for the government. (Callahan, 2011) argues that spending so much in people over eighty is counterproductive. They, of course, deserve a respectable treatment, but to spend millions of dollars on octogenarians seems almost unnecessary. It is hard to think that someone who has lived into his or her eight decade had not lived a full life . (Callahan, 2011). After all, the reality is that the life expectancy by the end of 90s was 73 and 79 for males and females, respectively. The treatment of the elderly still continues to change in so many different areas and can be biased by many factors. Technology, as Sister Mary Ann, director of the certificate Program in Gerontology Ohio Dominicans College, argues that is a mixed blessing for the elderly (Mulligan, 1985). As new technologies develop, the possibility to extend life or improve the quality of live is

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increasing, but so does the breach among the younger peoples technologies and the abilities of the elderly to use them. 3. - How can ageism affect medical attention to the elderly? Every year, millions of dollars are invested in the elderly, but things are not always smooth. Callahan argues against the necessity to prolong the elderlys lifespan. (Callahan, 2011) Then there is Faisal Islam (2009), who also contributes to exposing that an aging population is on the way to becoming a financial burden. Taxes are falling for the old and rising for the young and adds that The population pyramids that once showed many young people at the bottom supporting a small number of older people at the top is being flipped on its head (Islam, 2009, p.141). That being said, the elderly themselves and Ruth Westerbys point of view can be contrasted. She argues that aging is a very delicate issue that affects those who are past their prime psychologically, and states that the elderly suffer from ageism in the medical field. People who are in long term care often get mistreated or even ignored due to their ages. Many conditions are classified as the effect of the age and get dismissed by the doctors, without proper care a simple condition can escalate (Westerby, 2013). This being said, it reflect the earlier point that ageism not only affects ones employment, but also their health care. 4. - How are people affected by ageism being protected? Older people may have been revered in the old days, but as science and technology moves forward, laws have been needed to protect the rights of age specific citizens. In 1978, after a long and prolonged struggle, a bill passed that made many young people of the country upset. The bill in question was a 1978 amendment that

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increased the age in which private companies could force retirement to 70

(Dickman, 1979). While it is illegal to discriminate, some kinds of jobs require a sort of discrimination based on BFOQ (Bona Fide Occupational Figure 1.1 Age Pyramid of the United States 2013

Qualifications; are few qualities or an attributes that employers are allowed to consider when making decisions on the hiring and retention of employees. Under other contexts can be counted as discrimination) but, as expected this is thin ice territory. The abuse cases of Ruth, Lova, Anne, and Rita by their own sons (Terra Nova Films, A Mother never gives up hope: older mothers and abusive adult sons, 2009) can show that every point of view of the subject is up to debate and there is not an easy answer. The law in question among many of its stipulations declares that a person cannot be discriminated against on the basis of age while the person still has the capability of employment. Given this perspective, it can be assumed that the elderly are well protected against discrimination, but according to (Islam, 2009), the elderly are very much protected to the point that it can be considered unfair for the current generation. The baby boomers, a term given to those who were born in the post-World War II era (1946196464), now are aging. In average, those members of society are around 54 of age and as we see in Figure 1.1 it is a range of age that is even bigger than those in the 35-

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39 range.

After having enjoyed many benefits that young people now struggle to

acquire, such as the ability to acquire a home or to graduate of college without burdening debts. While Islam (2009) is not suggesting that discrimination is correct, it is worth noting that the elderly must retire at some point, in order to open the door to the generation tailing just behind them. These two perspectives show that an equilibrium is needed, and while the law shelters those in need it is also worth considering how the push-pull situation of this could be managed to the benefit of society. Conclusion In figure 1.1 that in the latest survey the age pyramid in America looks less than a pyramid and more like a sand castle with the particularity of having a wider top as the bottom slowly shrinks. It can be empirically assumed that if the 50-54 range do live to a senior citizen status the addressing of the treatment for the elderly and ageism itself would become a decisive issue. Ageism is an issue that needs to be addressed more frequently and given the communitys attention, because it is not an issue that is going to get cold or if ignored will be away. It is an issue that all members of society are part of. It is important to remember that everyone is eventually going to become a senior citizen. This is no matter to give the elderly a treatment above everyone else, but to ensure that everyone in America has their rights respected while given to others the capacity to evolve. Because at the end people live in the same society and something that affects one affect all.

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References Callahan, D. (2011). High-tech care for people over eighty is too costly to be justified. In S. Engdahl (Ed.), The elderly; Current controversies. (1st ed., pp. 123-128). Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

Central Intelligence Agency. (2013). Population pyramid of the USA 2013 [Infographic]. Retrieved From https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html

Clady-Giramma, K. (2011). In china the elderly are honored and admired. In S. Engdahl (Ed.), The elderly; current controversies (1st ed., pp. 48-53). Detroit: Greenheaven Press.

Dickman, I. R. (1979). Ageism--discrimination against older people (1st ed.). New York: Public Affairs Committie.

Islam, F. (2009). The aging population. In K. Swarts (Ed.), The aging population; opposing viewpoints series. (pp. 139-141). Detroit: Greenhaven Press.

Mulligan, M. A. (1985). High technology and the elderly: A mixed blessing. Overcoming the bias of ageism in long-term care (1st ed., pp. 111-118). New York: National League for Nursing.

National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL) and Terra Nova Films (Producer), & J. Vanden Bosch (Director). (2009). A Mother never gives up hope: older

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mothers and abusive adult sons [Motion picture]. United States of America: Terra Nova Films

Rich, M. (2010, September 20,). For the unemployed over 50, fears of never working again. The New York Times, Retrieved from. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/business/economy/20older.html?pagewanted= all&_r=0

Westerby, R. (2013). Psychosocial aspects of ageing. Practice Nurse, 43(4), 38-42. Retrieved from http://0search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=87346752 &site=ehost-live&scope=site