Discrimination and the Elderly: Looking for a Solution

Although I'm not sure that the elderly qualify as a minority group, nevertheless, they have undoubtedly been discriminated against in many situations. Consequently, it is only natural for them to suffer some of the same consequences as many minority groups, both as a whole and on an individual basis. As a result of this, the solution is two-fold. On the one hand, we must change society's concept of the elderly. While on the other hand, it is the individuals, themselves, who must work on overcoming their own psychological oppression, due to the societal portrayal of them as people.

As with other cases of stereotypical discrimination, social awareness is key. Ad campaigns, movies, and even businesses should recognize and utilize the older population for what they truly are-invaluable. You simply can't put a price on knowledge, and along with the life experiences that these older individual have endured, comes a wisdom that no one can buy. There are some cultures and religions that acknowledge this and display the utmost respect for their elders. American society could learn a lot from following their example. By now, we should have learned from many of our previous historical events-from slavery to the feminist movement-that you simply cannot judge a book by its cover.