Defining Ageism In order to understand how ageism is created, stereotyping must be considered. Stereotyping is a” well-learned set of associations that link a set of characteristics with a group” (Medicine.Jrank.org). It may vary from culture to culture, but most of which are acquired through …show more content…
It is when institutions create policies that discriminate against older people” (Psychology of Aging 101). A prominent example of this can be seen in Japan where public institutions failed to keep track of where centenarians lived. As a result, many elderly citizens were not provided the necessary medical and psychological services. In the United States, however, institutional ageism often happens in nursing care homes. Elderly residents are often abused or neglected by staff, which is more likely if the patient is a frequent complainer or has dementia (Psychology of Aging). There are various types of elderly abuse: Physical, sexual, emotional, neglect, and financial. Statistics show in adults over the age of 60, that “1 out of every 10 people experience abuse, including neglect and exploitation”