Stereotypes About the Elderly and Effects (Research and Video 2:27 mins.)

Like many of you, I belong to several social media networks. However, there is one I seldom use, due to the immaturity I have encountered there, particularly regarding the elderly. Below is a brief summary discussion on a life-threatening topic that I initiated there about seniors and the prevention of HIV/AIDS:

“According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, one-quarter of the one million HIV-positive people in the U.S. are older than age 50. Half are expected to be older than 50 by 2015. People tend not to think of HIV/AIDS as an illness of senior citizens, but it is. Seniors must be committed to not taking sexual risks.”

I received over a dozen responses, some too vulgar to print here, from various people, along with degrading, so-called funny photos of old people. None took this matter seriously. These are a few examples:

1) “You just made me throw-up in my mouth a little.”

2) “CUT IT OUT OR I WILL REPORT YOU!!!”

3) “What's considered a sexual risk for an old person? Not wearing a   diaper?”

4) “Sex also puts them at risk for hip fractures. That would seriously suck. A hip fracture and aids. Double whammy.”

5) “How about old people just stop having sex?”

So much for intelligent discussion. I am open to constructive, controversial debate, but that group “discussion” took blatant prejudice to another level. Truthfully, it is yet another example of negative stereotypes embedded in our society about the elderly. They are all over the media.

These and other stereotypes affect those who are victimized by them, and impact the elderly in detrimental ways. Research reported in Aging & Mental Health explains that negative aging stereotypes impact how the elderly see themselves and how they function. They become more dependent on others, have lower levels of risk taking, subjective health and extraversion, and higher feelings of loneliness. These are concerns we should keep in mind as we continue to advocate for eldercare improvements.

In this video titled “See the Person, Not the Age,” a young actress transforms herself into a senior and compares people’s reactions toward her. This experiment is part of the Scottish government campaign against ageism, an international problem.

Frances Shani Parker, Author

Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback at many online and offline booksellers and in e-book form at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online stores.

Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Elderspeak in Nursing Homes: Sweetie, Can We Talk?

Elderspeak is a form of baby talk that most adults would not ordinarily use in conversations with other adults. As a hospice volunteer in nursing homes, I noticed elderspeak being used often with older residents, especially those who had dementia. For example, “Hi, Mr. Smith. I hope you’re enjoying your day? Did you have a good dinner?” might become a singsong version of, “Hey, Handsome. Are you behaving today? Did you eat all your dinner veggies like a good boy? You did? That’s my baby!” Imagine what an everyday adult would think about being addressed in this manner. But some nursing home staff members, caregivers, and others think nothing of speaking to residents in this manner. Unfortunately, stereotypes about the elderly often result in adults using elderspeak when speaking to seniors in general, regardless of the location.

Use of elderspeak implies that the resident is not competent enough to be spoken to on an adult level. Even when residents get used to being spoken to in elderspeak and seem not to mind, their self-esteem may be lowered. In addition, using elderspeak perpetuates stereotypes about the elderly and encourages ageism. Elderspeak research by the University of Kansas School of Nursing reports that elderspeak use by nursing home staff increased the probability of resistance to care in older adults with dementia. These residents responded frequently with screaming or yelling, negative comments, and crying. It is far more helpful to respectfully use adult speech with clarity, while keeping in mind the uniqueness of each individual.

Born and raised in the South, I was taught at an early age that all adults were entitled to the respect of being called by their formal names, such as "Miss Jones." Imagine my shock as a teenager the first time I was allowed to drive a car to pick up my grandmother from her job as a cook at a segregated white school. Young students of all ages were calling her "Lou." She allowed it because she needed the job. But the embarrassment in her eyes when she saw me witness this will never be forgotten. That night, my mother told me I couldn't pick up my grandmother from work anymore. For many older African Americans, being called by their first names or nicknames without their consent carries painful memories of historical racist condescension.

You can read researched elderspeak views of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) here.

Frances Shani Parker, Author

Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at booksellers such as Amazon.

Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog