Aging portrayed in the mass media has not been an enjoyable or positive experience. The elderly typically suffer from negative stereotyping more than any other gender group. The media portrays increasing age with decreasing value as a human. Physical ability, personality, health, sociability, and work capability are all negative stereotypes that are associated with the elderly. Elderly today are not generally appreciated as wise and experienced, rather than useless and senile. The life alert commercial has been used throughout mass media to depict old age with poor health. Life alert has shown the elderly falling and are incapable of getting up, now the elderly are associated with the line, “Help! I’ve fallen and can’t get up.” Although many
