When reading through chapter 8 of ” Learning to be old and chapter 8 of Elderhood, there were many things that caught my eye. Ageism is a very prevalent form of discrimination, and it is interwoven into many systems and the daily lives of society. When reading through this topic by both authors, they take a similar understanding through different approaches and wording. But when reading both chapters, they had the same understanding that ageism is harmful and deeply rooted in its effects on older adults and skews their view of themselves. When Aronson does the comparison between geriatrics and old age, I found that to be a very layered statement. It made me think more about how society treats old age, and when old age is deemed an inconvenience, they are cast aside without a second thought. It also reminds me that there is a large lack of resources to help provide for elders, and often leaves them to fend for themselves.

Another thing that is mentioned within chapter 8 of learning to Be Old is how ageism can stem from stereotypes, personal beliefs, and appearances. With the cultural shifts that are currently happening, there has been a rise and especially in women, of the fear of growing and looking older. Miss Dovey’s (2015) article touches on this through literature. While within chapter 8 of Learning to Be Old, Cruishank views it as a decline. Dovey mentions in her article how age is tied to reflection. I can relate to that on a personal level, as I have not only dealt with my age being assumed wrong based on my appearance, but I have also witnessed my mother deal with the same thing. I have also been told by older people that I should be happy that I appear younger than I am, which I find to connect to the appearance statements made by all authors and how appearance is a root cause of ageism.

Overall, other factors that stood out to me included internalized ageism and how language also plays a part in ageism. The authors mention that older adults might often deal with and view their growth and age as inherently negative, and often do not try and advocate for themselves. Another mention was how language can play into ageism, especially with the mention of “Elderspeak”. I found that so interesting because the usage of slow talking and being too sweet is also considered to be harmful to children in development and often seen as dehumanizing, so to see that people will start doing that same thing to elders makes me think of the connection that infantilization and ageism have in this regard.

As for why I personally took this class, it is because I wanted to learn more. I understand that my clientele can be picked and or I can have a specialty, but I believe that learning more about all groups within society is truly beneficial in the long run and important information to have stored. What I have learned has helped shape my already existing opinions and expand my understanding of aging as a whole. As for struggles, I think my biggest struggle was understanding why there is so much resistance to change, but throughout these readings, I have come to the conclusion and learned that where there is resistance, there is often a steady buildup of a lack of understanding and support. As I continue my career and personal life, I will continue to work on my understanding and empathy, and hope that age provides me with the experiences to understand its complex beauty.

Aronson, L. (2019). Elderhood: Redefining aging, transforming medicine, reimagining life. Bloomsbury.

Cruikshank, M. (2013). Learning to be old: Gender, culture, and aging (3rd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.

Dovey, C. (2015, October 1). What old age is really like. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-old-age-is-really-like