Discrimination against the elderly.
The elderly face several challenges associated with them being frail, makes society have a skewed look at them as they live their daily lives.
As people advance in age, they lose the vigor and energy to work in most cases; they are put on retirement plans—reduced disposable income, which drives them into poverty. The elderly are no longer able to clamor for the few opportunities available in the job market, especially with the energetic youths.
There is also the case of ageism, which has been defined as a form of discrimination (when someone acts on a prejudice) based on age, Dr. Robert Butler, 1968. The elderly are, in most cases, looked down upon for the way they carry on with their daily activities by the youths who think they act the way they do due to old age. For instance, most of them tend to follow the rules and regulations put in place strictly and to them later. In job places, they fear losing their jobs to the young who are adaptable to the new norms and technology.
The elderly undergo a lot of mistreatment and abuse simply because they are old, and mostly the caretakers take advantage of their being weak to treat them negatively. Physical abuse is meted on them by caregivers depending on their attitude towards their job, who lack job satisfaction. They can also face sexual abuse, emotional and psychological neglect. They age, communication with their peers is reduced, as some are hindered by circumstances that lead the elderly to be alone much of the time with no one to share their experiences and time. Their children leave to work for, and these elderly are left alone for the notion that they are no longer fruitful.
The elderly also face financial abuses. They are frail, and those they interact within their daily encounters take advantage of their conditions. They are exploited financially for having a poor vision; for instance, they are not able to use ATMs. Some of their caregivers crack their PINs and swindle their finances without the knowledge of these victims. In some cases, there are abrupt changes to their wills. Out of free will, as well as the inclusion of additional names on their bank cards.
These people undergo a lot of neglect in their living environment. They are dependent on others, yet they are not children. Those who have been trusted to take care of them sometimes fail to clean their beddings, clothes, and rooms. Some of these elderlies live in pathetic conditions of total neglect. Their caregivers may ignore to give them the necessary medical attention; for instance, some might have bedsores that are not treated.
In some cases, they are left to suffer so that they may pass on early and leave benefits to the young ones, for example, in inheritance. Instead of taking good care of these elderly, they are left to suffer in situations that could be avoided. We should take good care of the elderly as we will be some time in the future ourselves.