In the United States, senior citizens confront pervasive age discrimination in healthcare, leading to restricted access to life-saving surgeries and essential medical services. This discrimination stems from deeply ingrained ageist attitudes and stereotypes that devalue the lives of older adults and prioritize younger patients for critical treatments such as organ transplants and cancer surgeries. These biases lead to the under-treatment of seniors and an overall neglect of their healthcare needs.
Older adults may be unjustly excluded from necessary medical procedures or receive substandard care based solely on their age. For example, when elderly patients are deemed ineligible for organ transplants due to their life expectancy, it reflects a discriminatory practice, as age should not be the sole criterion for determining a patient's eligibility for treatment (HRSA).
Ageism in healthcare intersects with other forms of discrimination, particularly racial and ethnic biases, affecting marginalized communities, especially Black and Latinx seniors. As a result, they experience higher levels of discrimination, leading to worse health outcomes and increased mortality rates. These biases contribute to a reluctance to seek care and a higher risk of chronic health issues (Home).
The challenges to prohibiting age-based rationing in healthcare services at a policy level are creating the need for initiatives that aim to ensure that older adults have equal treatment access and protect them from discrimination in federally funded healthcare programs. Additionally, there is a push to integrate geriatric care training into medical education, raising awareness among healthcare providers about the specific needs of older patients and the hazards of ageist attitudes (Policy Circle) (HRSA).
International organizations, including the United Nations, advocate for a rights-based approach to aging. They emphasize the need to view older adults as active members of society and promote autonomy and dignity for seniors in healthcare decisions (Policy Circle).
Senior citizens need more comprehensive advocacy concerning the national and international issue of ageism discrimination in healthcare.
As a nation, we should be more compassionate in our responsibility for the care of our senior citizens and people with disabilities. It's unacceptable to disregard their well-being. Advocacy against ageism discrimination in any form should have center stage within the laws and guidelines of meaningful healthcare so all seniors and people with disabilities are treated with the respect and care they deserve.
Overcoming ageism in healthcare demands comprehensive strategies, including legal protections, educational reforms, medical advances that cater to a better quality of life for seniors and people with disabilities, and a cultural shift in societal perspectives on aging.
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Great article. I especially agree with this statement: "As a nation, we should be more compassionate in our responsibility for the care of our senior citizens and people with disabilities."