When we hear the word discrimination, what do we usually think of? When I hear the word discrimination what comes to my mind is racial discrimination. Race is not the only thing that gets discriminated against. There is also gender discrimination and a thing called ageism. Ageism is the discrimination on a basis of a person’s age, but why should we care? Well, According to research done by Byron et al. (2007), they state that just like gender and race discrimination, ageism should also be something that we should not overlook. This is especially apparent in the work place. There are many reasons why we should all consider ageism to be a serious issue. According to some more research by Palmore (2004), 84 percent of elders that are 60 years
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Research by Marshall (2007) claims that age discrimination in the work place affects the mental health of the elderly; it leads to something known as the stress-buffer hypothesis (Social Forces). It devalues a person’s sense of self-worth. It lowers self-esteem which in turn can lead to feelings of inferiority and depression. Statistics show that 7 million adults who are 65 years of age and over experience depression every year (Cirino, 2016). Many elderly people live near the poverty level and must survive with very limited income. Some must decide whether to spend their limited funds on medicine or food. If not employed many of the elderly must rely on social services for assistance, i.e., food assistance, food pantries, medical assistance, and financial assistance with utilities. Some who have financial difficulty finding a place to live must apply for subsidized housing. Not allowing elderly people to work makes them unable to contribute to the economy. Without an hourly income elderly people are not able to go out and buy the things they need from the store, thus decreasing the economy. In addition, employment provides the elderly with social interaction. It also provides a sense of responsibility and a sense of belonging. It brings purpose to their daily existence. It gives them a reason to get out of bed in the morning. There is a common belief that seniors in the work place are less productive, unknowledgeable, and unable to move forward with modern technology. This is a common misbelief; lots of elderly people do know their way around a computer and do keep up with the modern technology. Many companies even have a mandatory retirement age. Some employees want to retire at 65. Others would like to keep feeling productive as long as they can. Again, is it fair to force a worker into retirement, simply because of their
Research by Marshall (2007) claims that age discrimination in the work place affects the mental health of the elderly; it leads to something known as the stress-buffer hypothesis (Social Forces). It devalues a person’s sense of self-worth. It lowers self-esteem which in turn can lead to feelings of inferiority and depression. Statistics show that 7 million adults who are 65 years of age and over experience depression every year (Cirino, 2016). Many elderly people live near the poverty level and must survive with very limited income. Some must decide whether to spend their limited funds on medicine or food. If not employed many of the elderly must rely on social services for assistance, i.e., food assistance, food pantries, medical assistance, and financial assistance with utilities. Some who have financial difficulty finding a place to live must apply for subsidized housing. Not allowing elderly people to work makes them unable to contribute to the economy. Without an hourly income elderly people are not able to go out and buy the things they need from the store, thus decreasing the economy. In addition, employment provides the elderly with social interaction. It also provides a sense of responsibility and a sense of belonging. It brings purpose to their daily existence. It gives them a reason to get out of bed in the morning. There is a common belief that seniors in the work place are less productive, unknowledgeable, and unable to move forward with modern technology. This is a common misbelief; lots of elderly people do know their way around a computer and do keep up with the modern technology. Many companies even have a mandatory retirement age. Some employees want to retire at 65. Others would like to keep feeling productive as long as they can. Again, is it fair to force a worker into retirement, simply because of their