Anyone who has taught the social construction of aging understands the power of ageist assumptions-assumptions that tells us that all old people are useless, wrinkled, forgetful, unproductive members of society (despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary). These assumptions profoundly affect the day-t-day reality of being an older person in this country. But ageism also allows us to better understand systems of inequality in our society. Age-like race, class, gender, and the like-is a socially constructed dimensions along which privileges and disadvantages are institutionalized. Furthermore, age articulates with each of these dimensions to determine people’s access to goods and services.
One interesting aspect of the aging process is that negative perceptions and stereotypes also affect the elderly and may even decrease their ability to perform everyday tasks. One example of this is with memory. When people are continually told their memory will decline as they age, it often has the effect of making them try less. However, while the physical and mental capacities of the elderly are viewed as diminished, often their personalities are seen in a more favorable light. They are often viewed as being sincere, wise and kind. Yet, the general perception is one of diminished abilities. Often, when the elderly do something competent it is ignored, but when they do something incompetent people view it as a sign of their old age. Many elderly are sedentary as a result of their diminished capabilities and this adds to the perception that they have lost their usefulness to society. If elderly people are active, physically fit and functioning well they often are perceived differently than the negative stereotypes of aging for those who are not healthy and functioning poorly. The negative stereotype of the elderly as being incapable and incompetent continues to be the dominant one in American society. However, one problem that m...