Stereotypes Of The Elderly Essay

Stereotypes are very common when speaking about the elderly community and a common misconception is that elderly people are typically forgetful, forgetting the faces of people they’ve seen many times, forgetting to do simple daily routines, and forgetting things that were mentioned to them recently. We tend to see this ideology a lot within the media such as on television shows or health ads. However, the image of the forgetful older person is generally nothing more than a false stereotype that has been promoted through the media. Many older individuals are very good at remembering things and do not suffer from memory loss. They are able to precisely perform their daily routines, able to recall telephone numbers with little effort, and can
According to research, elderly people who exercise at least once a week, have at least a high school education, and are more socially active are more likely to maintain their cognitive skills. In addition, I believe staying on top of the new technologies is a good way to jog the brain and maintain mental functions. It takes time to learn new technology such as new gadgets or applications and requires one to actively think about what they are doing. If an elderly person can learn new technologies, their brain capabilities are continuing to be utilized allowing them to better maintain their mental functions. As mentioned preciously, exercise is also a good way to maintain mental functions, even if it is only moderate exercise once or twice a week. Games that require thinking, evaluating, and brainstorming such as card games also help stimulate the brain while providing socialization to the elderly. Overall, the image of the forgetful elderly person is an all too common misconception that we see in the media. While this ideology may be true for some elderly, it is merely a stereotype that does not occur in all elderly individuals. Simple things like exercise, staying up to date with technology, playing games that require thinking, and socialization are easy ways to help the elderly maintain mental