America's Older Adult Population 55+ are Not a 'Monolith of Dependent, Frail, and Forgetful People' in the 21st Century

All "Old People'" are not always wise, kind, and alert. "Old People" are an extremely varied bunch that requires the same nuanced consideration involved in understanding *any* socially constructed grouping of disability and certain illnesses increase as "We All Age" to become "Old People" who can stay active with good cognitive ability "Good Health" "Does Exist for the Majority of Older Americans Age 55+" who will increasingly become a larger portion/segment of America's Population living in Our 21st Century! In short, We America's' Baby Boomers born after WWII from 1946-to-1964 are The "Oldie but Goodies" in America's 55+ Community in the 21st Century!

"Aging is not a problem, "Ageism is the Problem" says President/CEO Peter Kaldes, American Society of Aging.

There are many myths about what defines Old Age in the 21st Century. For example, old age is a disease that only affects "old people." not any other segment of American Society. Ageism affects people of any age and harms all Americans. Ageism refers to "stereotypes" [ "how we think "prejudices" [ "how we feel"] "discriminate"[ "how we act towards others based on one factor "Age" ] "old People" lat ages 45+, 50+, 55+ and Older] are portrayed by many segments of American Society to be mindless, sexless, useless, and powerless. N.B. The portrayal of older Americans is not a flattering picture for millions of Americans who are affected by Ageism.

• "Ageism" creates many different stereotypes, including older people being portrayed as being either benevolent or malicious, comical characters who have decayed because of their old age.
• "Ageism" decreases the quality of life and can shorten lifespan by 7.5 years.
• Most other Americans do not always take "Ageism" as seriously as other forms of prejudices, inequities, and discrimination in America.
• "Ageism" intersects with, exacerbates, embraces, and includes all other discriminatory "isms."
• America's entertainment media often under-represents older adults in TV, movies, shows, plays, etc., as a negative stereotype. "Being Old is a Disease" How many men and women 60+ receive meaningful parts on TV, movies, and cable shows?
• According to the United Nations, on a global scale, one in two people are affected by Ageism||50% of the World Population!]
• "Ageism" refers to stereotypes [i.e., how one thinks/believes something is true]. It "prejudices" how we feel, discriminate, and act toward others or ourselves based on age.
• "Ageism" is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the stereotypes (how we think), prejudices (how we feel), and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age."
• "Ageism" often intersects and interacts with other forms of stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination, including able-ism, sexism, and racism. N.B. We know that any prejudice or discrimination based on stereotypes can harm the person being subjected to discrimination and the person doing the stereotyping. Ageism is not just a problem for older adults; people of other age groups can be the target of this prejudice at various times in their lives.
• "Ageism" affects our health. Older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging live 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging.
• "Ageism" harms our economy and financial well-being. Older workers face more extended periods of unemployment, discrimination during the hiring process, and fewer professional development opportunities (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2018).
• AARP estimated that $850 billion in lost gains to the Gross Domestic Product is due to involuntary retirement, underemployment, and unemployment among older workers (AARP, 2020). It is estimated that annually $63 billion in America's annual healthcare costs, or $1 out of every $7 is spent on America's aging population aged 60 and older, are due to Ageism
• "Ageism" in American medicine and society is a matter of life and death, as dangerous as any incorrectly prescribed medicine or slipped scalpel. These negative stereotypes often result in less effective care, such as denial of treatment options, under diagnosis of depression, and mismanaged pain (AARP Bulletin, 2010).
• The American Society on Aging is reaching out to raise awareness about Ageism and to put an end to Ageism and prejudice in our American future
• Ageism is considered a factor in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion "DEI" as a discrimination standard.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and participation of different groups of individuals, including people of different races and ethnicity, abilities and disabilities, genders, religions, cultures, and sexual orientations. This also covers people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, skills, and expertise. "Ageism" is only one factor in "DEI," which involves all the ways people are different, including the characteristics that make one group or individual different from another. "DEI"

Unfortunately, "Ageism" -- which is discrimination based on a person's age -- has become a central theme in the 2024 election. In political ads and news coverage, our implicit bias toward aging is on full display.

Ageism is our enemy. It impairs our ability to live our best lives -- both as individuals and as a society. Young and old a like suffer from stereotypes such as being 'too young to lead' or 'to old to learn.'

The truth is that aging is a dynamic process. Having served older adults for more than 70 years, we know that aging leads to new knowledge and abilities. It generates experiences that inform our decision making, expands our networks, and deepens our relationships and judgment. Why not evaluate our political leaders -- no matter their age -- on these factors rather than stooping to ageist stereotypes that harm us all?

In the 21st Century, "American Ageism" is destroying the modern and social fabric of American Society. Moreover, Americans "Do Not Trust" one another, nor are politicians and our ordinary bounds/meaning of what constitutes an "American Democracy." Life was more manageable 50-60 Years Ago when We Pledged Allegiance to The Flag of the United States of America. After the Vietnam War/JFK's Assassination, "Americans Cannot Trust Their Government."

"Always love your country - but never trust your government!" - Robert Novak

As my time is running out with "Old Age" at Age 75+, many Older/Younger Americans are asking crucial questions:

Will America's Democratic Values 'Disappear' by the End of our 21st Century?

Will America's Great Experiment in American Democracy Even Survive the 2024 Presidential Election?

"If you are not interested in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools" - Plato

Written by Richard Weintraub in collaboration with Steven Thomas