Stereotypes I’ve come in contact are older people are unhealthy, lonely, unhappy, fearful, poor, and wish they were still a youth or do not want to live past 65. Surveys show that older people are satisfied with the life they lived and would like to continue to live for years to come. As our society looks at the elders around us we judge them because of their fragile appearance and slow pace life. Most fear becoming older because we do not want to loose our looks, body, endurance, ext. The truth is that we look at their lives as purposeless but they are complete enriched. They have lived full and complete lives and most are happy with reaching an age of retirement. Common stereotypes of being unhealthy and poor are completely untrue. Although it is more common for elders to have chronic health problems, it does not mean that as you age you will become more and unhealthier.
I have had a lot of hands on experience with elders from working in a nursing home to taking care of my grandfather when he was very ill and my grandmother when she was in ICU and then got moved to a nursing home. The truth is, a lot of elders in surrounding rooms were unhappy but they were very ill and most did not have family coming in to visit. Although this was my perception it does not mean that every elder is sick and unhappy. I also met people that were very involved in the activities the facility would have and would walk from room to room to say hi to their friends. They were happy, upbeat, hopeful, and active. They would tell me story upon story of their enriched lives they had lived.
Another way we are influenced is by movies, books, and television. Most movies with elders in them display them as bitter, unhappy, and often time living with a sickness. I was shocked to find that four of five older persons own their own homes. I was influenced to believe that older people would move in with family or into nursing homes. This is just one example of how culture effected my beliefs of elders. Other stereotypes of elders being poor is recently being proven false because of Medicare and Social Security giving increasing financial security to elders.
