Discrimination Against The Elderly

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Older Americans Age,according to Webster’s Dictionary, is defined as the time of life at which some particular qualification, power, or capacity arises or rests. Age is not just the change that the body goes through or the number of years one’s life has matriculated but it is also each stage of life one encounters as well as norms and expectations. It shapes who we have grown to be and the wealth of knowledge and experience we acquire. With all of the advancements in healthcare and technology, old age in today’s society has taken a turn in its meaning. Aging is different in every culture because they all experience different aspects such as social status, gender, social factors . According to the Census Bureau, the Older American population…show more content…
Society today fails to realize that the Older American population has grown to represent a large portion of U.S. population. According to an article titled, “Discrimination Against the Elderly”, baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1955) make up 28% of the population. That equals out to 74 Million Americans who are between the ages of 46 and 63. (Long, 2018). It has also become a sought after population for programming in not only the U.S. but the entire world. With them growing to be a large force in the U.S., their rights are either neglected or violated more frequently than not. When it comes to discrimination against Elderly/Older Americans, it is usually upon on the age factor and not necessarily the credentials or merit if the individual person. Discrimination refers to the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, sex, or age. Older American/Elderly discrimination refers not only to negative behaviors it can refer to being overly kind or generous because of the age group. This type of discrimination can also happen in more than one area of an Older Americans life. Some instances where Discrimination against the elderly can show up is in the workplace. More times than not, Older employees may be forced to take early retirement or phased out of their employment situations. Society has also created age limits, which prevent more mature employees from taking advantage of educational programs. Many older Americans however do not fit into the mold of the negative image portrayed about Elderly/Older Americans. They do however, face some of the issues and problems due to circumstances beyond their control and

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