1 Myths and Stereotype Matrix Team 3 Kimberly Butler, Racquel Josephs, Lynda Keller, Ana Palezyan University of Phoenix GHA/548 November 30, 2020 Geraldine O’Neal Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. 2 Myths and Stereotypes Matrix Myth or Stereotype Common Issues Fact or Reality Attempts to Prevent or Eliminate Cultural and Ethnic Perspectives Loneliness There are common aging issues associated with the stereotype of loneliness. Each of these issues contribute to social isolation and loneliness. Good health, frequent sexual activity, a wide social network, close family, higher income will likely result in less loneliness. Poverty, poor health, widows, limited access to transportion, and less activity contribute to loneliness in older adults. 28 percent of older adults live alone (National Institute on Aging, 2019). Isolation does not always equate to loneliness though. On the opposite side many of can be surrounded by friends and family and still feel alone. Social isolation in older adults is often the result of retirement, loss of a spouse, disability, and even in recent events a pandemic. Despite these factors that contribute to social isolation, older adults do desire social interaction. Social interaction in older adults include spending time with family and friends. Social comparisons is one way to dispel the stereo type of loneliness in older adults. When other adults and society are exposed to older adults tht are active and healthy they can motive others to be active too (Dionigi et al., 2015). Observations of older adults leading health and active lives is on way to dispel this stereotype. Racial and ethnic backgrounds affect how older adults are impacted with social isolation and loneliness. For example poverty is a larger problem for non-white populations (Quadagno, 2018). Poverty can be an hindrance to living an active and social lifestyle. However, race does not seem to be a factor in loneliness sin older adults (AARP, 2018). Educated older adults tend to be less lonely. outputs of aging, including magazines, newspapers, and television. Even joking comics about aging can be perceived as ageism (Losrios, 2015). Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. 3 Poverty Over 25 million Americans aging 60 and up are economically insecure (NCOA, n.d.). This age group struggle with rising housing cost, health care bills, diminished savings, and job loss (NCOA, n.d.). For the aging adults who are above the poverty level, if one life changing event occurs, they can negatively be affected financially. 21 % of married Social Security recipients and 43 % of single recipients aged 65 and above highly depend on Social Security (NCOA, n.d.). 2.1 millin older adults on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) receive, on average, $435 per month. Furthermore, one-third of senior households has no money after paying essential expenses (NCOA, n.d.). Improvements of social security benefits over the years has contributed to the increased economic wellbeing of the elderly (Quadagno, 2018). As the cost of living increases, so does the social security payments over time (Quadagno, 2018). Moreover, the financial benefits of aging is clearer in regard to wealth. Wealth is typically measured by net worth, and the baby boomer population has a high percentage of net worth due to the value of their assests. Many own property, have a substantial amount in retirement savings, and low debt (Quadagno, 2018). Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Older African American men are twice as likely to be unemployed as older white men (NCOA, n.d.). Furthermore, health is a vital resource for optimal aging, however, many minorities do not have the proper access to health care simply because they are not able to afford it. Despite public health efforts to reduce and eliminate racial ethnic disparities in health care, it still exist (Ferraro et al, 2017). 4 Majority of the elderly are weak and fragile This myth has casued numerous amounts of the elderly population to have less confidence in themselves. Unfortunaley, when others are constantly told, they are unable to do something it becomes part of their personal beliefs. A person will begin to fear injury and waver to move about too frequently. When an elderly person attains their geriatric age, several of their family, relatives, and friends may have already passed. Most elderly once they reach the higher age in life tend experience more death around them. This can influence the way the person exists and can cause them to isolate themselve due to their emotions. Many times couples do not pass away at the same time. Even though that is the case, only a small percentage consider themselves lonely. Many older adults prefer to move into senior living facilities or move in with family and maybe re-marry. The Baby Boomers have been able to create a market for social clubs,literature, cosmetics, and other businesses that reflect their population. Advertisers are including seniors in their marketing campaigns more often than before. This occurs due to the amount of active and social seeking baby boomers. The inclusion of seniors in social and recreational campaigns conveys they are socially active and "alive." (Novak, 2012) Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. The ethnic and cultural perspective of aging has a lot of misrepresentation in older adults. "Health and human service providers who interact with an older person must adjust their responses to that individual by taking into consideration the person's level of resilience, culture, and ethnicity" (Consedine & Conway, 2004 p 97). 5 References AARP. (2018). Loneliness and Social Connections. https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/surveys_statistics/lifeleisure/2018/loneliness-social-connections-2018.doi.10.26419-2Fres.00246.001.pdf Consedine, N., & Conway, F. (2004, Summer).” Predicting Ethnic Variation in Adaption in Later Life” Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology, 19(2), 97-131. Dionigi, R. (2015). Stereotypes of Aging: Their Effects on the Health of Older Adults. Journal of Geriatrics, 2015(Article ID 954027), . https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/954027 Ferraro, K. F., Kemp, B. R., & Williams, M. M. (2017). Diverse Aging and Health Inequality by Race and Ethnicity. Innovation in aging, 1(1), igx002. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx002 National Council on Aging. (n.d.). economic security for seniors facts. https://www.ncoa.org/news/resources-for-reporters/get-the-facts/economic-securityfacts/ National Institute on Aging. (2019). social isolation, loneliness in older people pose health risks. https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-healthrisks Novak, M. (2012) Issues on aging (3rd ed.) Routledge: NY O’Caoimh, R. (2013) Which part of the Quick mild cognitive impairment screen Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. 6 Discriminates between normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment and dementia? Age and ageing. 42(3). Quadagno, J. (2017). Aging and the life course: An introduction to social gerontology, seventh edition (7thide ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Copyright 2020 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
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