Aging in America: Ageism and General Attitudes toward Growing Old and the Elderly - Raqota Berger (2017) - How Is Aging Perceived?

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[...] Aging stereotypes can impact treatment decisions, providers' attitudes, and practices in care settings. For example, many psychotherapists refrain from attending to older patients because they presume poor prognoses for elderly patients. Lastly, individuals with negative age perceptions tend to manifest poor mental, cognitive, and physical health. In contrast, those with positive age beliefs tend to have better cognitive, mental, and physical health. References Allen, J. O., Solway, E., Kirch, M., Singer, D., Kullgren, J. T., Moïse, V., & Malani, P. [...]

[...] Aging in America: Ageism and General Attitudes toward Growing Old and the Elderly - Raqota Berger (2017) - How Is Aging Perceived? Aging in America: Agism and General Attitudes toward Growing Old and the Elderly Louisiana State University Aging in America: Agism and General Attitudes toward Growing Old and the Elderly While many cultures around the world celebrate the aging process and cherish their elders, in American culture, where the youth are fetishized and older adults commonly relegated from the community to nursing homes and hospitals, aging can become a disgraceful experience. [...]

[...] There is so much shame around aging in the American culture that individuals feel that they are losing value and something is wrong with them when they are aging. This can impact their well-being in many ways. Individuals with negative views about aging are prone to higher levels of stress, which predisposes them to many aging disorders (Allen et al., 2022). Consequently, individuals who feel fatalistic about aging are less likely to partake in healthy practices such as taking prescribed medications or staying active. [...]

[...] Also, limited financial resources, such as during economic crises, tend to augment negative attitudes and structural agism toward older people among healthcare providers. When healthcare providers have limited time, they tend to stereotype elderly patients and accord them substandard care. As such, the American culture is obsessed with youth, and many individuals strive to look younger than they are. In his article, "Forever Young: America's Obsession With Never Growing Old," Dr. Dale Archer wonders why contemporary culture is so obsessed with acting or appearing young. [...]

[...] (Allen et al., 2022). It implies prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes allied to the aging process, old age, and elderly persons. Several systematic reviews have reported consistent evidence suggesting a link between agism and adverse health outcomes. As such, the World Health Organization and AARP are at the forefront of condemning agism as harmful and costly. How the elderly population is portrayed impacts how the public treats them and how the senior citizens view themselves, with implications for their well-being, health, and affluence. [...]