The older population in the United States has been on the rise in recent years. According to the U.S Census Bureau's projections, individuals above the age of 65 will outnumber the young people by 2030. Also, the old-age dependency ratio is expected to rise in a few years from now. These projections indicate that soon, the majority of U.S citizens will be aged. Unfortunately, as people age, the younger population subject them to prejudice and stereotypes that label the aged as incompetent and less productive members of society. In contemporary society, the aged are no longer held in high esteem; instead, they are labeled using pejorative terms. Some of the stereotypes associated with late adulthood are discussed below.
Ageism and Stereotypes Associated with Late Adulthood
According to the World Health Organization, Ageism is the prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination against individuals based on their age. Ageism often affects the aged individuals in society. Ageism has become a widespread issue that affects most of the older people in the community. They are often discriminated against in the labor market where they are denied employment opportunities on the basis of their age. Also, the social media is commonly used to spread stereotypes against the aged which leaves them isolated and marginalized in the society. Unlike other forms of prejudice like racism, ageism is often ignored; hence the vice is rarely countered in the social setup. The aged are therefore exposed to the harmful effects of ageism which may affect their health. Several stereotypes contribute to ageism.
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A stereotype is a general belief that people hold regarding a particular group of people in society. A stereotype assumes that what is true for a few individuals in a specific set of people is true for all other members of that particular group (Hummert, 2011). This assumption leads to a generalized perception of people which may lead to prejudices such as racism, sexism, and ageism. Some of the stereotypes attributable to ageism include;
Aging makes an individual unproductive: - most individuals perceive the aged members of society as less productive compared to young people. This notion leads to discrimination in the workplace especially in promotions. Also, the stereotype may lead to the old people being denied employment opportunities. However, most of the aged individuals remain productive even after they retire from active employment contrary to the common belief held by most people. For instance, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report, about 24% of the aged citizens work in volunteer positions after their retirement. This means that they remain productive for most of their old years.
Aging makes an individual less creative: - the other common stereotype is that aged people are less creative which makes them less efficient especially at the workplace. This notion may diminish the chances of older people getting promotions or employment opportunities.
Aging reduces the ability to adapt to change: - another common stereotype is that old age makes an individual resistant to change. This means that aged individuals are perceived by young people as not flexible to assimilate the various changes (Hummert, 2011). For instance, the dynamic corporate world does not favor the aged due to technological advancement. Most employers are therefore cautious to hire older people or promote them to executive positions.
The above stereotypes among others are examples of what facilitates to ageism. However, like any other prejudice, ageism should be dealt with to ensure the wellbeing of the aged population.
How to Promote Health and Wellness into Late Adulthood
Aging may have a toll on the health and wellness of some individuals. As people age, the body may become more vulnerable to health-related issues. It is therefore vital to promote the health and wellness of aging individuals to mitigate the adverse effects of aging. Health experts recommend several ways to maintain physical health.
First, individuals should exercise regularly to maintain their physical health. Research indicates that exercise has significant health benefits; hence it is crucial to do exercises regularly to keep physically fit. Secondly, aging people like everyone else should ensure that they maintain a healthy weight. Research indicates that obese individuals are at a higher risk of disability as they age. For instance, obesity may worsen arthritis which is a common disease among aged individuals. Also, obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight would, therefore, mitigate the risk of such diseases.
Thirdly, aging people should ensure that they eat healthy diets. A healthy diet mitigates some of the health issues associated with aging. For instance, less consumption of foods with cholesterol would mitigate cardiovascular diseases which may affect the aged. Also, consumption of proteins would reduce chances of malnutrition which is common among the aging population. This would prolong their life and also increase their productivity in their late adulthood years. Lastly, the aged people should avoid destructive practices such as smoking, stress and sleep deprivation. Smoking would increase the health risks of the aged and expose them to a wide range of cancers. Lack of enough sleep and stress also increases chances of cardiovascular diseases and reduce the immunity of individuals which makes them susceptible to a wide range of old age-related diseases.
Significance of Relationships and Social Interactions as Individuals near the end of Life
Relationships and social interactions are critical as people near the end of life. Psychologists argue that the social networks of individuals determine how happy they are in their personal life. Healthy relationships have a significant impact on the psychological and physical life of individuals near the end of life. For instance, the family members provide vital health care to the aged individuals and this may prolong their life and enable them to age gracefully. Also, the relationships provide emotional support to the aged which reduces their chances of getting stressed up due to the reality of aging. According to the World Health Organization, social relationships are a crucial determinant of health in most individuals. As people age, social relationships are essential to ensure that they receive both physical and emotional support.
Cultural and Personal Attitudes about Death and Dignity in Late Adulthood
The personal and cultural attitudes about death and dignity in late adulthood differ from one individual to another and from one culture to another. Most individuals have a negative attitude towards death and treatment of the elderly in their end of life care. The privacy of the elderly is often violated as they receive the end of life care. For instance, when they are assisted in taking a shower or using the bathroom, their dignity may be lost which often leads to resistance to receiving the care. Also, they may feel as if they are a bother to others since they are no longer in a position to carry out their chores. This triggers issues at the end of life care which may affect the quality of care provided.
The different cultures define the various perceptions that people have about death and dignity in end life. Different cultures have a different approach to dealing with death. For instance, the western countries use black as the color for mourning while China uses white to symbolize bad luck. The rituals vary across cultures with a different approach adopted in various cultures. The attitude towards the dignity of the elderly in late adulthood also varies across cultures. For instance, in most Eastern cultures like China and Japan, the elderly are held with esteem, and they are highly valued in the society (Wang, Tang, Hu, Qin, Ma, Li, & Sun, 2019). They are therefore given the best care in their end of life. However, the same perspective is not common in Western countries which results in reduced quality at the end of life care of the elderly.
References
Hummert, M. L. (2011). Age stereotypes and aging. In Handbook of the psychology of aging (pp. 249-262). Academic Press.
Wang, Y., Tang, S., Hu, X., Qin, C., Ma, L., Li, Y., ... & Sun, M. (2019). Gender differences in attitudes toward death among Chinese university students: A survey in hunan and Heilongjiang province. BioRxiv, 578955.
