Editorial: Ageism Contributes to Elder Abuse

One doesn't have to be a relative or friend of an older person who has suffered sexual abuse while in the charge of those hired to provide care, and not abuse and fear ("Putting a stop to elder sex abuse," March 30), to be upset by stories of sexual abuse of older people.

Of course, more thorough and extensive criminal background checks of care facility prospective employees will certainly help to reduce the number of potential offenders; so would overall improved hiring practices that focus on finding staff members who will treat residents and patients with the respect they deserve.

But what really needs to change is our attitude toward older people. Ageism, despite valiant efforts to promote the vitality that many seniors enjoy, remains one of the last vestiges of fairly accepted discrimination in our society. It's acceptable to find ways to not hire older (over 50, or sometimes, even over 45) people for jobs. It's acceptable to make fun of older people who are doing things more commonly ascribed to those who are younger ("Isn't it cute that Grandma met a man at, of all places, canoeing class?"). And worst of all, it is all too acceptable to not believe an older person, who may indeed have some physical and/or mental health issues, when she (or he) says in the strongest voice she can muster that she has been abused in the worst way possible.

Because whether we like it or not, most of us will be older some day. We cannot imagine such horror happening to us, and it should not happen to anyone else now.

Mary Stanik
Minneapolis (formerly of Eugene)

Source:
Ageism Contributes to Elder Abuse