The Myths and The Realities of Aging. Part 1

Kellio — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:22:54 +0000

An Introduction

Note: Click here for part 2. Perceptions of the Aged

While it’s a debatable point, many believe that life and therefore aging begins at the moment of conception. What is not debatable however, is that the aging process continues over a lifetime. Each individual experiences the process in different ways depending on variables such as gender, culture, education geographical location environment and of course the culmination of life’s events and circumstances.

Improvements in public health care, living conditions, income, and the control of infectious diseases during the first half of the 20th century were important factors in determining life expectancy, while the second half yielded an increase in health technology leading to the development of antibiotics and wide spread immunization. As a result, people are now more likely to die of diseases associated with living longer such as stroke or heart disease rather than the infectious diseases of childhood.

Here in Australia, the cohort of people born since 1995 may live longer than previous cohorts as they have received the most benefit from lower child mortality rates. Older people will make up a larger proportion of the population and there is little doubt that more people will be seeing a hundred years of life or more by the mid 2050’s.

Because of overseas migration to Australia during the period 1995 to 2015 older people from non-English speaking countries will comprise around 66% of the older population compared with 23% of people born in Australia for that age group.

The future old people in most western societies will be healthier, wealthier and posses a higher education with many funding their own retirement. The huge contribution they are now making to society can no longer be under estimated or under valued. It’s always been a common saying that you are only as old as you feel and many researchers are finding that those aged over 60 are far less accepting as being seen and described as “old” then the preceding generation.

Because an awareness of ageing has been strongly ingrained in our societies, the majority of people are well aware of the kinds of behavior expected at a certain age. But this would not be a problem if these behavioral expectations did not result in the accepted stereotypes relating to older people, which have led to discrimination simply on the basis of age.

Body language, the way we talk, the way we clothe ourselves, even the way we exercise and the recreation and sports we undertake may indicate “age appropriate” behavior. After all we make sense of age through the recognition of significant milestone such as birthdays and anniversaries.

Rather than welcoming the positive changes that have led to an expected longer life span, many in society see the increase in the number of older people as being a concern and a drain on heath services and the economy.

It’s unfortunate that the word “old” is often used as an insult prefaced by the words “silly” or “stupid” and the vocabulary used to describe older generations fails to account for the huge diversity and differences between people. Media portrayals of old age in terms of frailty, senility, poverty, powerlessness and loneliness tend to reinforce the stereotype perceptions. The media is not helping either by sending mixed messages referring to and advertising anti-ageing products with stories and literature which focus on looking younger and being healthier in order to live a longer life.

Some older people do accept and adopt the negative images attributed to them and become subconsciously aware of having to conform to the expectations of certain elements of society and “act their age.” At the other end of the spectrum many older people revel in challenging stereotypes and seeing older age as an opportunity to undertake new ventures and or indeed take on ventures long with held because of social or family pressure brought on by society’s expectations.

Some stereotypes even focus on positive aspects of age such as the kindness and wisdom of older people and these views can be equally unrealistic. Not all old people are wise and kind! Overall, most age stereotypes seem to be negative, and can even be accepted quite inaccurately by some ill-informed health care professionals.

“Negative stereotypes about older adults abound – they are sickly, frail, forgetful, unattractive, dependent, or otherwise incompetent. Such stereo types can lead to ageism or prejudice against elderly people. Most elderly adults have internalized these negative views but believe that they apply to ‘other older adults’ and not to themselves”
Sigelman. CK and EA Rider. Life span Human Development. 5th ed. 2006 Australia: Thomas.

Currently, the myths of ageing are associated with general perceptions about being old such as older people being in poor health, ill or disabled; having a lack of mental sharpness; failed memory; senile; being sad; depressed; lonely; grouchy; sexless; boring; all the same; lacking vitality and vigor and following inevitable decline; being unable to learn or change and being unproductive.

Myths about older people are based on a lack of knowledge about ageing and when they are used in the media or even in professional literature they support negative attitudes which lead to age discrimination.

As the older population grows and the baby boomers begin approaching the traditional retirement age of 65 years, new myths are emerging. In the pages which follow I will attempt to provide, statistical information, research findings together with the opinions of older people themselves (including myself approaching 62 years) in the hope that others will add and comment in order to provide an understanding of how negative perceptions about aging can be challenged.

“The complete life, the complete pattern includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquility of the evening. Old age has its pleasures, which, although different, are not less than the pleasures of youth”

W Somerset. (1874-1965) British novelist and playwright.

NOTE: Click here for Part 2. Perceptions of the Aged.

Retirement Work for Baby Boomers » Important Factors

The Myths and The Realities of Aging. Part 1

An Introduction

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