Ageism in the workplace
Preconceptions of the elderly present ageist assumptions that characterize a group of people on the basis of their age; insidiously taking many forms, including prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory institutional policies, and practices that perpetuate stereotypical beliefs. This bias is so commonly accepted in our society that we don’t even recognize it. According to Adams et al., the prejudicial characterization of the elderly invalidates and discriminates because of age and have little to do with that person’s worth, intelligence or capabilities (2013). The intersection of ageism and other forms of oppression compounds to create illogical expectations that perpetuate the devaluation of ourselves as well as the aged.
According to Brownell (2014), older workers are vital to workplace productivity and culture. Aging is a developmental stage in which the aging live active, productive lives well into old age. Negative societal and …show more content…
Subliminal and blatant messages of inadequacy and ineptitude have real mental and physical health consequences, including increased stress and an impaired recovery from illness shortening their life span.. When older adults are viewed positively, it will promote a society that is more considerate of their needs, values their contributions and encourages productivity and longevity.
References
Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castañeda, C. R., Hackman, H. W., Peters, M. L., & Zúñiga, X. (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Brownell, P. (2014). Ageism in the Workplace. Encyclopedia of Social Work Doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.844
Leland, J. (2008). In “sweetie” and “dear,” a hurt for the elderly. The New York Times. Retrieved from