Ageism

As much as ageism does not get a high level of public attention as compared to sexism or racism it is quite alive. It is considered as being biased against a person’s age group. For example, if there is a rule that applies equally to all other people but discriminates people in a particular age. In these specific cases, older persons are more vulnerable to poor treatment in a long-term care and lack of adequate treatment options in medical settings.

Discrimination due to ethnicity is higher in the elderly as shown by the study on the experience of discrimination among U.S. Chinese seniors.  The study found that U.S. Chinese older adults experienced considerable biases, with the majority of elders tending to have passive responses to unfair treatment. Among the nine situations assessed, street and public settings were the places where discrimination was most likely to occur. Older adults who lived in places other than Chinatown, with higher socioeconomic status, and with lower health status were more likely to report discrimination (Dong et al., 2014). In response to the study as a gerontologist, one should conduct further research to explore the risk and protective factors as well as the outcomes associated with experiences of discrimination among older adults. Discrimination of the elderly exposes them to lower health status and decreases their self-esteem as well as increases the risk of social isolation.
The stereotype is considered as an embodiment of a psychological approach to aging. Recoveries of older people with a disability are affected by the age stereotype.  Age stereotype is defined as beliefs about the elderly as a category.  From the study on the association between positive age stereotypes and recovery from disability in the elderly, it is evident that negative stereotype is likely not to recover as compared to positive stereotype (Levy, 2012). As a leader in the field of gerontology, one should create awareness to those handling older people with disabilities on the importance to handle them with care. Ensuring that health care units are more inclusive, accessible, and helpful to the older people.
Falling and osteoporosis mainly contribute fractures in the elderly. Controlled trials of osteoporosis medications to prevent fractures are conducted with selected populations, with specified admission and exclusion criteria. Based on a study, prevention of hip fractures in long-term care, it is evident that the frail segment of the population is neglected in clinical trials of osteoporosis fracture prevention (Crilly et al., 2010). As a  leader, one needs to promote the campaign to strengthen the role of surgeon general to focus on health issues on osteoporosis to which older persons are vulnerable. A leader also requires to ensure that the elderly are integrated into clinical drug trials.
Cancer is a disease primarily experienced in advancing age. Based on the study, targeting cancer prevention on screening practices for older adults, it describes that  although most cancers occur in persons older than 65, objective information about the benefits of prevention, detection, and treatment are substantially lacking for older adults. The study explains this is because they have significantly been excluded from randomized controlled trials (Byers, 2009). To combat this as a leader, one requires to ensure the subjects have a high degree of functioning and a little burden of other illnesses. Also, make sure many inferences about the importance of prevention and screening in older adults rely on the proper interpretation of observational data
As a gerontologist to enhance employees to be more attuned to the needs and problems of seniors, promotion of collaboration between people of different age groups is necessary. Educating or training people about ageism is efficient and should go hand in hand with creating positive experiences between generations. There is a need to distinguish the active and the potentially more impaired persons. People should respond to ageism the same way they respond when a person is discriminated against because of disability or race. Availing age-related information to practitioners and students will be of more value to combat ageism. As an employer, one needs to understand the issue. Consider the aspects of how you employ people so as to maintain freedom from direct or indirect age discrimination. Review your policies and procedures of recruitment, promotions, training, and transfers and identify areas of age bias such as sick leave. The systems should include reporting procedures on age-related grievances as well as definitions of age discrimination.
Make sure that the necessary board members are not only familiar with the law and the company’s new policy but also are showing commitment to upholding them. To ensure this, prominently communicate your age discrimination policy by announcing it at all staff meetings and incorporating it in the employees’ handbooks. In conclusion, ageism is alive and kicking and can pose a significant threat to the elderly causing low health status and eventually death. It is, therefore, important to address it and create awareness.






References
Byers, T. (2009). Targeting cancer prevention and screening practices for older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 57(s2), s243-s245.
Crilly, R. G., Hillier, L. M., Mason, M., Gutmanis, I., & Cox, L. (2010). Prevention of Hip Fractures in Long‐Term Care: Relevance of Community‐Derived Data. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(4), 738-745.
Dong, X., Chen, R., & Simon, M. A. (2014). Experience of Discrimination Among US Chinese Older Adults. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, glu150.
Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Murphy, T. E., & Gill, T. M. (2012). Association between positive age stereotypes and recovery from disability in older persons. JAMA, 308(19), 1972-1973.