AGEISM FUNDAMENTAL TO UNDERSTANDING CARE OF OLDER PEOPLE AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA ( pwd) IS REALLY UNDERSTANDING AGEISM. AGEISM INFLUENCES EVERY INTERACTION WE HAVE WITH OLDER PEOPLE AND PWD. iT PERVADES OUR SOCIETY AND IMPACTS POLICY AT EVERY LEVEL. IT IS EMBEDDED IN OUR OWN VALUES,BELIEFS, BEHAVIOURS AND INTERACTIONS.

ACTIVITY

MAKE A LIST OF CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU GENERALLY ASSOCIATE WITH OLDER PEOPLE. SOME TYPICAL RESPONSES COULD BE:

OUT-OF-DATE

SLOW TO CHANGE AND LEARN NEW THING THUS

LESS EMPLOYABLE

JUDGEMENTAL

POLITICALLY CONSERVATIVE

LOUSY DRIVERS

IN THE WAY IN THE SUPERMARKET ASEXUAL

UNATTRACTIVE

SENILE

AND/OR YOU MAY HAVE OTHERS LIKE:

SWEET

NEEDING ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION

CUTE

LONELY

FORGETFUL

STOIC

FUNNY

LOVING GRANDPARENTS

NOW COMPARE YOUR GENERALISED LIST WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME REAL OLDER PEOPLE YOU KNOW. CHANCES ARE YOUR LISTS WILL BE DIFFERENT. CERTAINLY YOUR LISTS WILL NOT REFLECT MANY, IF NOT MOST OLDER PEOPLE. I DARE TO SAY YOUR LISTS WILL REFLECT AGEISM.

SO, LETS START WITH A DEFINITION OF AGEISM. I HAVE MY VIEWS ON WHY AGEISM IS SUSTAINED AND WILL DISCUSS THESE. I WILL THEN EXPOSE SOME OF THE MANY FACES OF AGEISM.