Part I
What is being done to address the issues you identified?
Ageism is a major problem that affects the elderly individuals in society. Usually, these people are treated with a lot of prejudice where in society; people look down on them and treat them as if they are not part of that society. There is also the issue of discrimination at work places. The old people are not given much attention because they are thought to be slow, ineffective and lazy. This puts them at a very high risk of being laid off from work. They are usually not considered for promotions since they are thought to be conservative. The media also gives a bad image of the old people. Most of the mass media refer to the elderly as people who are helpless and are dependent on the other people in society. This creates a wrong mentality towards these people. Therefore, the law now allows the elderly people to have equal rights at work, which protects them from being fired or mistreated.
The elderly people in society are also likely to face social problems. The elderly people are very much likely to be lonely and isolated.
This is because most of their peers have passed away or are confined to similar conditions of loneliness or solitude. When people retire from work, their social activity reduces significantly. They become more or less idle and as their bodies become weak and sickly, they become confined to their homes where they are likely to have no company. These isolation and social issues usually lead to depression which could lead to serious implications like death. Therefore, the elderly people can now be taken to social centers where old people are maintained and taken on holidays to avoid isolation and neglect.
When the elderly people retire from work, their bodies are usually weak and prone to disease. The health issues become more common because of weak immunity and less activity. When they are retired, they also do not have a steady source of income which will result into financial problems. This is being helped by providing health services for the old people as well as providing necessities for those who are in need.
Is the number of gaining population expected to rise in numbers or decrease?
The gaining population is expected to rise in numbers because of the several reasons. First, statistics from the 1990 and the 2000 census show that the population of the elderly people in society increased significantly between those ten years. The number of people over the age of 65, 75 and 85 increased significantly. This gaining population is further expected to increase because of the developed technologies which have ensured that the health of the elderly can be maintained. The new technologies and improved health care allows for procedures like blood transfusion, organ transplants, therapies and so on which help elongate the lives of the elderly people. Similarly, the population of the elderly people is expected to increase significantly because the baby boomers are approaching their 60s. The baby boomers were born in the 1940s when there was the baby boom. This group of people is now elderly and with the high technology levels and excellent health care, this group of individuals is expected to have a longer life span hence the gaining population is more likely to rise in numbers in the near future rather than reduce.
What types of legislation may or may not be affected by the aging population?
There are several kinds of legislation that are directly affected by the ageing group of individuals in the country. First, the Medicare laws require that all those old people in society must be subscribed to at least a health insurance plan. This is meant to ensure that every individual in the country, the old included, has access to good medical attention when needed. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act affects all people who are over the age of 40. It protects these individuals from being discriminated in any way at their place of work. This is meant to protect the disabled and promote equality amongst all employees regardless of their age.
How does poverty affect the ageing population?
Poverty has adverse effects on the ageing individuals. This is particularly to do with their health. During old age, the elderly require frequent medical care, good balanced diets, comfortable environment and a good state of mind. However, these can only be achieved when the individual is rich. When they are poor, they will not be able to afford medical checkups, good healthy food and their living conditions will generally be poor. This will cause the health problems, mental problems and at times frustration which leads to depression and death at times. Therefore, poverty should be dealt with carefully to avoid cases of the ageing population suffering in poverty.
Part II
How have people with disabilities been treated in the past?
In the past, individuals with disabilities have been treated unfairly as if they were not part of the society. These people were discriminated and abused openly because of their incapacity. They were thought to be liabilities that heavily relied on the society for help. To some extent, the disabled had no access to proper education because they were thought to be disabled and unable of anything else. However, with time, people have realized that the disabled are also human and have rights and deserve good treatment.
How has the attitude toward people with disabilities changed over time?
The attitude towards the disabled community in the past was so negative that the disabled were mistreated and overlooked very often. However, there were human rights activists, organizations and government efforts which have helped to campaign for the rights of the disabled. The public has now been convinced to change the negative mentality of overlooking the disabled. Today the disabled have access to a good education, health care, they now have equal chance of getting jobs and many other privileges. The American Disabilities Act is one of the legislations that have been passed in the past to help protect the rights of the disabled as well as change the public’s attitude towards the disabled.
What are some unique circumstances or issues encountered by people with disabilities?
The disabled people in society usually encounter various issues. Most of them are not good because they are degrading and abusive. The disabled individuals are often overlooked and despised at their place of work because of their incapacitation. These people are treated as if they are not human, often looked down upon. The disabled are not usually treated well by their employers, especially when it comes to promotions and other employee upgrades.
The disabled usually encounter awkward circumstances such as tough experiences when they visit places where the Visitability requirements have not been adhered to. They usually suffer because they cannot move around freely. More so the disabled individuals experience hard times when they are required to go through an inclusion system of education because they are not able to carry themselves out like the non-disabled students. In an inclusion setting, the disabled are likely to be mocked, abused and at the same time find it hard to adapt to the system of learning.
What is being done to address those issues?
To address the issues experienced by the disabled people in the country, the government passed the Americans with Disability Act which was aimed at helping the disabled find their rights. His law requires that the disabled have equal access to resources like education and employment just like other people. There is also the Visitability movement which has moved to help the disabled by requiring that all buildings be made to suit the disabled people too to avoid them suffering. Human rights organizations have also been on the fore front to defend the rights of the disabled in society. The introduction of special education that is specifically meant to benefit the disabled by focusing on what they can do is also a very important step towards solving the problems experienced by the disabled people in society.
What types of legislation have been introduced to address issues faced by people with disabilities?
The Americans with Disability act was passed by the government to protect the rights of all individuals with disabilities. This includes proper access to a good education, employment and a good social life. The disabled would report any form of abuse and their rights would generally be observed.
The Disability Discrimination Act was passed in 2005 and it was meant to help do away with discrimination and harassment against the disabled in society. It was meant to enhance equality of opportunities between the disabled and the non-disabled, ensure fair treatment of the disabled and ensure a positive attitude towards the people who are disabled in society. Finally, this law was meant to promote the participation of disabled individuals in society by encouraging them and giving them positive attitudes.
