Ageism refers to the stereotypes associated with one’s age. Ageism is reflected in various aspects of an individual’s life such as the work place and health care settings and etcetera. One instance of ageism I have personally witnessed is when a younger person came to the emergency room with severe pain but was neglected, because the health care providers gave more attention to other patients. Their decision was most likely justified by the individual being young, meaning they could either handle the pain or were actively overstating its severity. Similar cases happen to older adults as well, in that they are perceived as cognitively compromised when it comes to explaining their issues. This mostly applies to the older adults who speak slowly. Ageism negatively affects health of the elderly population as it often leads to older people’s complaints being ignored. If the concerns and pains of older individuals are not taken seriously, it can significantly impede their overall wellness (“Exploring the health effects of ageism,” 2022). Furthermore, medical neglect concerning the elderly can contribute to isolation, mental and physical health problems, financial instability and many other issues.
It can be deemed challenging to differentiate ageism from perfectly reasoned medical decisions since in order to make sound decisions; stereotyping and classifying patients becomes a necessity. However, in order to stop ageism in healthcare settings, it is crucial to first implement the following strategies in the society at large which include training the nurses and other professionals, reviewing the policies and procedures of institutions and addressing the ageism attitude that is present in older persons (Erturk & Karacizmeli, 2022, p.13). Nonetheless, the strategies that the nurses themselves would adopt to eradicate ageism in health care settings would include adaptation of an individualized treatment methodology, defining anti-ageist attitudes and practices and attitudes and acknowledging the necessity to disregard ageism in practice.
Reference
Erturk, N. O., Karacizmeli, A. (2022). Aging and age discrimination in Europe: Understanding and challenging ageism. Waxmann Verlag.
Exploring the health effects of ageism. (2022). The New York Times.