akes the issue more complex and difficult to understand is the fact that the elderly are often seen as one big group of old people, instead of the heterogeneous mix of people with different needs and skill levels that they are in reality, “America’s growing elderly population has varying levels of abilities, needs, and resources. Diversity and growth are two terms that describe it. The population aged 65 years and over commonly is grouped together under the label, the elderly; yet this is a heterogeneous population. Elderly women tend to have life circumstances quite different from elderly men. Some older people, especially single women, have significant financial and health problems and are most likely to be poor. Others, especially men and married couples, generally are more secure” (Taeuber 42).
There are problems with this kind of negative stereotyping for the elderly. Often the elderly will withdraw from social interaction and adopt a role that is dictated by these negative stereotyp
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