Ending Life Well: Conversations & Connections Aging Has a Bad Reputation
By Alex Trevino , End of Life Specialist I find it interesting that many people don't want to grow old. Why is this? I suspect it has little to do with age and more to do with how “senior citizens” are viewed in society at large. Society tends to attribute characteristics to old age like being a burden or unproductive, dependent, cognitively impaired, sick, depressed, and bitter. Such negative perceptions eventually give rise to stereotypes which, in turn, give way to age- based discrimination, also known as Ageism. As a result, we are left with a community of unique and valuable people, stripped of their individuality and clustered under an emaciated label of “old person.” Without even realizing it, we are most likely participating in the propagation and reinforcement of negative social expectations surrounding older adults and aging. Sometimes we may find ourselves repeating phrases like “you can't teach an old dog new tricks” or “over the hill.” We may have also seen, and even liked, a certain product's publicity that portrays youth as being the desirable standard, making aging undesirable by default. It doesn’t take much to see that Ageism is all around us, it makes appearances on your favorite TV shows, it occupies a seat across the table during job interview, and it refers to a 91-year-old as “young man” at the dinner.
Unfortunately, one of the many consequences of Ageism is that it makes talented, experienced individuals with so much to offer become socially invisible. What do I mean by this? It happens, for example, when a medical provider directs his/ her attention and explains to a younger family member, or friend, the details of a procedure, while ignoring the older patient who happens to be completely capable of understanding the situation. This is just one example, but it is not rare that older adults are overlooked. We simply forget to ask older adults about their own needs, preferences, and wishes. This issue even goes as far as not asking about the preferences and wishes of the person's own end- of-life care and treatment. When we talk about an End-of-Life Care Plan, Ageism is something that deserves the attention of the person accepting the role of the Health Care or Mental Health Care Power of Attorney. Having the privilege of being
someone’s decision-making agent means that the person commits to learning, respecting, and advocating for the wishes of the individual they intend to serve. This also means that they may have to fight against some of the age-related stereotypes and discrimination in the process. At PCOA's End of Life Initiatives Program, we are mindful of the issues older adults may be facing as they take steps toward completing their End-of-Life Care Plan. We are aware that clients are complex individuals who carry their own unique stories. We provide End-of-Life education and assist with tools like the Advance Directives documents, to ensure that people do not forfeit their personal choices and, in turn, that their end-of- life wishes are protected. For assistance or for more information about End of Life Care Planning, contact PCOA’s Helpline at (520) 790-7262.
May 2023, Never Too Late | Page 23
Pima Council on Aging
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