Published: 2019-01-09

Discrimination against the elderly – facts and ways out for dignified aging

Family Forum
Section: Starzenie się i starość
DOI https://doi.org/10.25167/FF/2018/53-69

Abstract

Current century is often presented as the age of aging. Disproportionate increase in the group of old people, to almost a quarter of the population, carries with it not only the pride of the achievements of medicine prolonging life, but also the negative social trends. Progressing processes, which have already been identified as „intergenerational desolida­risation”, are also reflected in very negative phenomena, among which the discrimination against elderly people becomes more important. The negative attitudes based on stereotypes and prejudices towards the oldest part of society arouse anxiety and demand the search for ways out. In this study, based on the analysis of Polish-language professional literature, attempts were made to sort out the reasons and contexts of such negative references to seniors, highlighting the most important discriminatory areas, and finally trying to find the possible ways out from the situation of social inequity experienced by elderly people. The message of the text remains positive, since there is a need to look for new ways of solidarity and intergenerational dialogue, bearing in mind that the priority task is to strengthen a strong family, which remains the most proven support for the dignity of the most vulnerable people to whom seniors undoubtedly belong.

Keywords:

old age, discrimination against the elderly, stereotypes, agism, reasons for discrimination, anti-discrimination action

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Citation rules

Piotr. (2019). Discrimination against the elderly – facts and ways out for dignified aging. Family Forum, 8, 53–69. https://doi.org/10.25167/FF/2018/53-69

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