Topic > Reframing Aging and Ageism in the United States

Index IntroductionSummary of Aging/Ageism IssuesSolutionsReality CheckReferencesIntroductionAging in human life is defined as an inevitable process involving the accumulation of changes in the body over a given time frame. Ideally, these changes result in dramatic physical, social, and mental changes, usually consisting of a gradual increase in susceptibility to human disease and a decrease in overall body strength. In contemporary society, this process introduces ageism as a concept that alludes to the stereotypical aspects and prejudices present in society towards the elderly. According to the WHO, ageism represents stereotypes, perverse prejudices that involve discrimination against people based on age (WHO, n.d.). In other words, ageism represents a concept composed of three key elements, which include prejudicial attitudes towards older people, discrimination against older people in all aspects of life, and institutional practices that promote stereotypes about older people in this society (Nelson, 2004 ). However, exploring ageism as a concept provides insight into how it impacts older adults and society at large. While contemporary society is faced with a myriad of social problems such as sexism and racism, ageism presents itself as an unnoticed social problem, composed of various aspects and which can be addressed through various effective measures or solutions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssaySummary of Aging/Ageism IssuesContemporary society in the United States has a very specific perception of aging. In this, the public sees aging as a negative aspect that results in addiction. From this perception, many people have ended up developing opposite perceptions towards aging and the elderly. In other words, while the public understands that aging is an inevitable process, many have ended up fighting it, something that has brought division to society. This divide shines through the United States' perception of older adults as a distinct group of people in society. Another predominant problem in ageism is that the public believes that the end result among older adults is the result of poor choices. From this point of view, it is ideal that public opinion supports the fact that self-discipline defines the choices people make before retirement or the end of their productive years, so it will have the power to determine at what age to be wealthy. Ageism is presented in society as stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination against older people in society. With respect to this ideation, ageism can be seen as both a voluntary and involuntary act that denies the use of and access to certain resources in society (Sweetland et.al, 2017). A social issue that relates to the voluntariness or involuntariness of ageism is the fact that many people do not recognize ageism as a social problem and rarely tend to think about it. The public behaves naturally in this regard, which they tend to consider discriminatory towards the elderly, however, despite not recognizing the problem, most of them tend to know about aging and the elderly. In the United States, public opinion defines aging as an unstoppable process and sees the passage of time as a march towards the age of dependence and deterioration. Ideally, cultural contexts in the United States have shaped perceptions of modern life as difficult,worsening the situation for many older adults as platforms for isolation from family and financial hardship are created (Sweetland et al., 2017). Compared to this, then, the public has come to contextualize aging as a bad experience, given the surrounding aspects of distance from younger family members and an unstable and unpredictable economy as defined by culture. Another ideal problem in ageism is the fact that the public in the United States does not have a clear understanding of demographic trends. Furthermore, the public perceives that the US population is becoming increasingly younger and similarly growing into old age. However, although some can understand existing trends, the cultural context can hinder the public policy response to the problem. In this sense, it is ideal that culture explains that problems should be solved more privately and by the people who have them to cause people to develop a model that the government is inefficient and involving it in the response to the social issue will slow down progress or amplify the problem Solutions In solving the problem of combating aging and people's binary perception, a viable solution would be to explicitly focus on breaking down the lens through which the public views older groups, emphasizing that aging is an ongoing process that every member of society should undergo. Ideally, create awareness among members of society that aging is not an individualistic aspect, but rather an environmental aspect that supports and shapes an individual's life. In this regard, encouraging people to shift from individualistic to environmental perceptions of the factors that influence their lives will help solve the problem of ageism (Sweetland et al., 2017). On the other hand, although the public may fail to recognize ageism as a social problem, it is ideal for them to have a subconscious awareness of aging and the elderly. Therefore, a possible solution to this unawareness of ageism as a social problem is that creating awareness among the public would help build greater respect for older adults and minimize unconscious stereotypes and prejudices against older adults. A possible solution to the misperception that aging is a march towards deterioration and dependence seen by the public due to failure to understand the demographic trend is that people should be made more aware of the trend and change the perception of aging in a positive perception. This shift in mindset should include encouragement to accept that aging is inevitable and that the perception of experiences surrounding old age is earned leisure and a period of accumulated wisdom. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom EssayReality CheckAge in contemporary society is a social issue that has been ignored for a long time, resulting in creating loopholes for a high level of vulnerability of the elderly. In relation to this, it has been identified that various issues have been implicitly ignored by society, but in the long run have produced disastrous effects for society, especially for the elderly. Reality checking on these issues can be contextualized as creating awareness and enlightening society to understand subsequent issues; that embracing aging will break down the various binaries and bounded views that create a divided society, that the results/