Ageism – the elderly are guilty of it too.
There is a double standard concerning memory failure when it comes to age.
Discussing age can be dangerous. Those who don’t believe me should ask a middle-aged woman her age and stick around to see the results. I wouldn’t blame her for her response. Our society looks down upon the elderly or ageing and puts the notion in our heads that quality of life deteriorates significantly with each passing year after 40.
However, age is a beautiful thing. You grow wiser, more experienced and more beautiful, and this article is going to debunk all of the false truths and praise the ageing community for their knowledge and experience which serve to better our world.
So are you guilty of ageism? Take a moment to read these stereotypes and determine for yourself.
Incompetence
There is a double standard concerning memory failure when it comes to age. When a youngster forgets, it’s because of a lack of effort or attention.. A memory slip by someone older, however, is consistently attributed to their age Fair? No. Helpful? Definitely not.
It is useful to stop telling elders that they are forgetful. A study has shown that this simply exacerbates any existing problems. People tend to conform to their stereotypes, whether positive or negative, so think twice before writing off your elders as memory sieves.
Ineffective workers
Did you know that older workers are reportedly more reliable, have a better work ethic, and take fewer sick days than their younger counterparts?
It seems that employers worldwide don’t, and negative stereotypes are aplenty for the aging worker.. Despite Despite the retirement age increasing worldwide, managers are still less likely to hire senior
workers due to stereotypes such as a lack of motivation, a lower willingness to progress in their career, and perceived health problems. However these beliefs have been shown to be unfounded.
Too old for technology?
Today’s elderly are portrayed as being technophobes, however this stereotype is losing validity every day. According to internet experts, seniors spend their computer-time on social media connecting with friends, mailing online penpals, taking classes and shopping online.
There is even a growing trend in educational technology programmes especially designed for seniors to encourage personal growth and social contact with others
Intimacy can lead to a healthy life.
Seniors don’t enjoy intimacy
This statement can’t be further from the truth. While the body ages, so do the reproductive organs. However, it is essential to keep the steam in the relationship going. This research about sexual health and senior citizens reveal that intimacy can lead to a healthy life. Even a cuddle can benefit your health!
We are all the same
It is of course true that as we age our bodies start to slow a down a little. Our brain, on the other hand, becomes more reasonable and wiser, and in order to get the most out this late bloom we can , exercise the brain by writing or doing memory activities.
A study show that the most important tip for seniors is to remain positive, but this is not always easy, especially as we can see ageing being demonised every day in the media. But age should be celebrated. Don’t listen to the big industries trying to make money off your insecurities.Enjoy life. We are so quick to pass through life holding onto anger, frustration and sadness. Once we learn to let go, aging will become a beautiful journey we go through with our loved ones.
Images: [ Omeralnahi, Huskyherz ]