Public Perceptions of Older People A literature review

7.7.7 Summary
This third section explored the consequences public perceptions can have on
older people and society. Negative perceptions and stereotyping can result in
ageist behaviours which are conveyed through the workplace where older
people are sometimes discriminated against because they are perceived to be
incompetent and slow at their work. Ageism is also reflected in health services
where older people are denied access to services and exposed to demeaning
conduct by healthcare staff. It is also evident in education where healthcare
students’ are unlikely to engage in work in geriatrics, as this is reportedly the
least preferred area of work. Consequently, older people become isolated and
socially excluded leaving older people in society vulnerable to elder abuse and
neglect.
8. Limitations
This review presented a variety of findings pertaining to public perceptions of
older people and ageing. It is important to note that the inconsistency in
findings reported may be attributable to numerous factors. These may be due
to variations in the definition of ‘older people’ (e.g. 60 years and over, 70
years and over), the terminology used (e.g. older people, senior citizens,
elderly people), the sample recruited (e.g. children, students, young adults),
the method and type of data collection instrument used (i.e. questionnaires,
interviews etc), as well as the fact that cultural beliefs regarding older people
vary from country to country. These factors can make comparisons between
bodies of research more difficult (Lichtensein et al. 2005).
9. Conclusion
In conclusion the literature has identified that public perceptions of older
people are diverse, complex and multivariate. Public perceptions are driven
and influenced by a number of factors including the cultural context in which
the older person is situated, the increasing modernisation of society and
governmental policies. Other factors that may impact on how older people are
perceived include age, gender, knowledge and the media. A common theme
throughout the literature is that public perceptions of older people can impact
both positively and negatively on the lives of older people including their
access to social and employment opportunities, as well as access to health
services. There is evidence in the literature of positive attitudes towards older
people across a number of domains. However, overall, the vast majority of
47