Explanation of the Theory
Ageism literally translates to discrimination on account of the age of an individual. The treatment of an individual based on his age relates to different kinds of activities mostly related to employment. As a social problem, ageism is a phenomenon that differentiates itself from other common types of discrimination – racism and sexism, for instance, in that it can affect everyone in the world due to the simple fact of aging. Inevitably, every person is bound to become older and the creation of cultural facets against aging, such as those that portray getting old in a negative light to the extent that it creates fear among people. Such, in turn, makes age a factor in employment and the workplace, where there is a possibility that younger people are more preferred for their vibrant energy compared to older people who, while seen as experienced, are generally regarded as already getting weaker (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2013). Yet, more than anything, ageism extends beyond employment and the workplace, most notably in hospitals and shopping areas. Ageism, taking into consideration the foregoing, thus leads to the following effects for victims, mostly old people: loss of jobs, getting lower-quality service in several establishments, denial of membership in an organization, and the like (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2013). This essay reviews a specific current event article on ageism, which provides introspective remarks on said problem alongside possible solutions.
Current Event Article
Shelley Emling (2014) reported via her The Huffington Post article that people who have suffered from ageism have poorer health compared to those who have suffered from racism and sexism. The study, which was published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, noted that people with reasonable belief that they have suffered from ageism have declined more drastically in terms of physical and mental health compared to those who have not claimed to have suffered from said form of discrimination. In fact, the study shows that “discrimination related to race, sex, ancestry and sexual orientation was largely unrelated to health declines in older adults” (Emling, 2014).
The study was conducted through evaluating the physical and mental (emotional and cognitive) health of 6,000 adults based on their reports between 2006 and 2010, alongside questions designed to elicit answers on what they think about discrimination. Given the findings, in which 63% of the adults evaluated claimed to have experienced ageism, Emling (2014) reported that the researchers were surprised, since racism and sexism are generally viewed as being more harmful kinds of discrimination compared to ageism. As found in the study, ageism is linked to factors related to old age – refusal to see the doctor and chronically-progressing stress. However, the study finds that loneliness links all kinds of discrimination together in terms of causing health declines among older adults. Loneliness, which can stem from discrimination as it varies by degree, can trigger a string of chronic health conditions such as sleep problem, cardiovascular disease and suicide, among many others. In addition, life expectancy still exhibits a racial gap, in that African-Americans are more likely to die 3.8 year earlier than white Americans due to diseases such as high blood pressure and heart-related health problems (Emling 2014).
Synthesis and Conclusion
The report by Emling (2014) on a new study on ageism brings forth the theoretical dynamics of ageism as it affects older adults. The refusal to see a doctor on account of old age relates to the fear of individuals of age-related discrimination in terms of healthcare delivery, specifically when healthcare practitioners deliver mediocre services to them simply because they are older and thus more perceived as weak. Therefore, it appears that ageism is not a problem that is less threatening compared to racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination generally seen as more harmful (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2013). The findings of the study reported by Emling (2014) thoughtfully verifies the foregoing theoretical premise.
References
Emling, S. (2014, May 8). Perceived Age Discrimination Worse For Health Than Perceived Racism And Sexism, Study Finds. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/08/age-discrimination-health_n_5290543.html
Zastrow, C., and Kirst-Ashman, K. (2013). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
