Why Do Some People Ignore The Elderly - Page 2

KarenQVC · ‎05-13-2010

Some people are afraid the elderly are hard of hearing or won't remember.

wardy · ‎04-13-2016

Some people are just not educated or mature enough, elderly people dont like wasting their time on them anyway! LOL My Grandmother would just shake her head and say Oh Brother! My Grandmother wrote congress every day until she was 90 to keep their sticky hands off the social security. Why ask an educated elderly person a question when you can google it. Society is so different now and sad in many ways, too busy to smell the roses! There is no right answser to this question only experience of being elderly and that will be on that persons door very soon, so you are right , JUST SMILE!

songbird · ‎03-21-2010

They are the most victimized of any group in the U.S. bar none. They are routinely discriminated against in jobs (the firm doesn't want them working for a few weeks and then keeling over and dying on them) They are physically shunted aside (most people need to get somewhere fast and the old guy is holding them up) They don't move fast enough. Their cars and licenses are taken away. How do you expect them to get out of the house? Their kids are tired of taking care of them and park them in old age homes.

When you are elderly you are closer to death. I think that reminds people of their own mortality. The less they see of them, the better.

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

I used to drive my mother to the doctor but I never went into the exam room with her because of that.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

I won't generalize on topics like this. What I have seen is that it depends on the elderly person and the younger person with them.

Have seen many during my many hours in doctors offices and waiting areas in hospitals. Have seen a person ask the older person a question, and before they can open their mouth, the younger one answers for them?

Would never say people ignore the elderly. Many times it is the younger person with them? My mother-in-law is going on 91 and she speaks to everyone, even when my wife and/or myself are with her.

The only time we listen for her is when she sees her doctors. She and we want to make sure we all understand the instructions from the doctor. The doctors speak directly to her, not me or my wife.

As I said, i've spent inordinate amounts of time getting 6-8 hour Blood transfusions, sitting in a surgical waiting area, or the pre-surgical area. Watched many elderly come in with "whomever" with them, and those working the admitting desk talk to whomever is the patient.

That is my experience of why it appears to some, the elderly are being ignored, when they are not. Each is a separate case, but I chose not to generalize when I have personally seen things much differently?

hckynut(john)

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

Many people do not treat older people I well. Just this week, I made a call to xfinity to have cable and wifi hooked up at a family members home. She has been living with me since October and was in the hospital and rehab from July to October. Because she hasn't been home for about nine months, we had her utilities shut off.

The call was going great until the CS rep asked the birth date for a credit check. When I gave the date, he assumed I was 78 and he changed his tone and speech. He kept repeating the same thing over and over to me and gave the very long confirmation number to me in slow motion.... Several times.

Needless to say, I was very frustrated. I cut him off several times saying"I got it" or "I understand." He was flabbergasted when I told him that I was not going to pay $60 for the installation and that I would do it myself. He tried to talk me out of it, but I told him I have done this several times successfully, which is true.

This was a wake up call for me. I will try to always be more sensitive to everyone speaking to them with respect and dignity. I am sure that if they don't understand or can't hear, they will let me know. It is best not to assume anything.

Jordan2 · ‎03-16-2010

@Burnsite wrote:
Jordan, I haven't read the whole thread, but try to find better doctors. They swear an oath to help people and not harm them and they should keep their word.

Some are better than others with older folks. Some doctors see "illnesses" and "age" and "diseases" but others see "people." That's what you need to find for your sweet mother.

She has PCP that she loves, I go to him too. He has a lot of elderly patients and all his patients love him. He has a very good bedside manner. It happens more in restaurants and in department stores.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@songbird wrote:
They are the most victimized of any group in the U.S. bar none. They are routinely discriminated against in jobs (the firm doesn't want them working for a few weeks and then keeling over and dying on them) They are physically shunted aside (most people need to get somewhere fast and the old guy is holding them up) They don't move fast enough. Their cars and licenses are taken away. How do you expect them to get out of the house? Their kids are tired of taking care of them and park them in old age homes.

When you are elderly you are closer to death. I think that reminds people of their own mortality. The less they see of them, the better.

@songbird

While I am not disputing your comments can be true in some cases, you have to admit the obvious ..... as people get older, they can deteriorate a little ... or a lot.

My Dad loved to drive but there came a point when he just was unable to do so anymore, and, yes, his driving days were over. But no, he was not "victimized".

Q4u · ‎03-17-2010

My dear Mother was hardly elderly when this started happening to her. She was in her early 60's! She complained of being invisible for the most part. She was well educated, spoke extremely well and was confident in her nature and was sharp! She was also British, soft spoken and had extremely good manners!

It's something I'm now very aware of however in the small town in which we retired, there is an "older" attitude from children and young adults (which floored me!) as well as the adults here. Much kinder to each other! I've never been Ma'amed in my life until we moved here. I've also had doors opened for me from both men and women, also children!

This is a subject that really needs addressing in this country....

*~"Never eat more than you can lift......" Miss Piggy~*

Ms X · ‎09-13-2012

It would never occur to me not to address a person directly just because he or she is elderly. I have been unsure of what to do when I've spoken to an older person who seems to be hard of hearing. Do I start talking really loud? Will it be too loud and so seem insulting or just odd?

It's sort of like when someone who has a disability might be able to use some help but is not obviously struggling. I always wonder what to do because, again, I don't want to be insulting. I rarely offer help because they seem able to do well on their own.