Ageism Rife In Australia, Research Finds

Ageism rife in Australia, research finds

2 March, 2010

Societal changes have had profound impact on older people and how society views and treats them.

Older people who are respected tend to have greater life satisfaction, including a sense of usefulness and involvement with their family and community.

However, respect towards older people varies greatly across the generations, with Generation X and Y viewing older people as fragile, unproductive and a burden on society.

A new research paper by Deakin University, commissioned by Benetas, found ageist attitudes are rife in the Australian population.

It found expressions of respect for older people has changed over time, from the submissive, such as serving and obeying seniors, to the mutual, such as listening and spending time with seniors.

The study, an Australian first, was based on focus groups with 113 participants including older people living in residential care, older people living independently, aged care volunteers, baby boomers and members of Generation X and Y.

Some baby boomers perceived older people as having little or no ambition, while a majority of respondents said older people were excluded from society.

“I don’t think we understand the full impact of societal changes on older people and how they’re respected,” said Sandra Hills, CEO of Benetas.

Older Australians are often no longer consulted on family matters or issues and as a result often find themselves excluded and lacking respect.

This lack of respect is also partly due to Australia’s unique geographical dispersion of the population. In other countries generations of families live together under the one roof. In Australia families and friends are often scattered across the country.

“This leads to further exclusion and loneliness due to a breakdown in communication – particularly when older family members face issues using technology to maintain relationships,” Hills said.

Projects and initiatives addressing social isolation and participation of older people are also essential, she said.

For providers, both consumer directed care and person centred care are models which require further examination. Benetas is also calling for training packages for care staff to enable them to develop interpersonal relationships with seniors.

The full ‘Respect in an ageing society’ research paper is available atwww.benetas.com.au

Abridged

SOURCE:    AgedCareInsite.Com

______________________________________

Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources