From Ageism to Age Equality: Addressing the Challenges ...

Older people who internalise pejorative ageing terminology and negative stereotypes are more likelyto accept being treated less favourably because of their age. There is evidence to suggest that olderpeople are more accepting of negatively differential treatment than younger people.Eileen McGlone’s study provides important evidence on the nature and extent of ageism in ourhealthcare services as attested by 456 older people using the services and 976 staff from all roundthe country involved in the provision of health and social care services at all levels. While themajority of older people consulted felt that they had no difficulties with the quality of care theyreceived from staff within health and social services (including 53 per cent of those individuallyinterviewed), there was strong evidence of negatively differential treatment of older people in theservices because of their age or because of their conditions, particularly if chronic. Over a quarter ofthe older people interviewed, for example, felt that doctors were dismissive because of their age andthat their conditions/illnesses were not explained adequately to them.It is clear from Eileen’s presentation that within our health and social care services institutionalpractices and policies exist that fuel the stereotypes about older people, reduce their opportunity forlife satisfaction and undermine their personal dignity.70There is a general perception among staff that, while the motivation and will is there to recognisethe changing needs of an ageing population, there is a lack of implementation in terms of thenecessary structures, systems and resources. Some staff pointed to the paradoxical policies ofpatient-centred care against performance monitoring using indicators that do not take into accountpersonal interaction as a productivity or quality measure. The absence of integration of servicesunder the health system is also felt to be discriminatory to those older people with complex healthand social care needs (Butler).There are some other very important messages on best practice in healthcare services provision toolder people arising from Eileen’s presentation. These include:take time to assess patients properlyrecognise important losses associated with ageingconfer not only with care givers but directly with patientsdo not dismiss symptoms as being due to old agedo not delay treatment for chronic or other conditionsrecognise that positive enforcement improves health and general well-beinginclude the over 65s in clinical researchpromote research on topics relevant to the oldest old.Rooting Out Age Discrimination in Health and Social CareTo confront an endemic problem of this kind, however, more than counsels of good practice arerequired. In the first instance, ageism must be understood, recognised and accepted as a nationalConference Proceedings