Ageism

1. Ageism By Robert Weber

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChopgX5JldY

3. What is Ageism? • The term was actually coined by Robert Butler who described it as “A process of systematic stereotyping of and discrimination against people because they are old, just as racism and sexism accomplish this with skin color and gender. Old people are categorized as senile, rigid in thought and manner, old-fashioned in morality and skills. Ageism allows the younger generations to see older people as different from themselves; thus they subtly cease to identify with their elders as human beings.”

4. Statistics on Ageism • In the last 13 years, America has seen the population, specifically those of the age over 65 and over increase. The 2000 census shows that over 35 million Americans were over the age of 65. It is a prediction that by the year of 2030, nearly 20% of the population will be of the age of 65 and older. (http://www.alfa.org/alfa/Ageism.asp) • Becca Levy, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Yale University. She did a study of 660 people over the age of 50. She found that people who were more positive about their age and did not let ageism affect their way of living lived 7.5 years longer than those who had negative feelings about ageism. (http://www.apa.org/monitor/may03/fighting.aspx)

5. Death of A Salesman • You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away - a man is not a piece of fruit.