d Lutz, 1993, p. 240). Thus, total chronic care costs in 1992 approximated $250 billion. Individuals requiring chronic care as often perceived by others as being a drain on societal resources. Most of the 10 percent of the population requiring long term care for chronic ailments are elderly (Minahan, 1993, p. 161). As an example, where only 10 percent of the total population requires long term care, 50 percent of those individuals aged 80 years or older require long term care (Minahan, 1993, p. 163). The great majority of the elderly between the ages of 65 and 80 years old (which is the age group comprising the great majority of the elderly population segment), however, are not chronically ill, and, thus, do not require long term care. One aspect of ageism, however, attempts to label all elderly persons as chronically ill persons requiring long term care, where, in fact, most are vigorous and healthy, and require little more medical attention than do persons in other age groups. Theoretical Concepts of Aging
Ageism, as is true of sexism or racism, is
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