Social aspects of ageing

Human lifespans are increasing steadily worldwide. Yet in spite of the success of this demographic revolution, age stratification and discrimination against older people is widespread, and in most Western cultures older people are marginalized and socially excluded on the basis of age. Stereotypes of older people are essentially negative and reinforce institutionalized ageism, which is reinforced in turn by the legal, political, educational and health and welfare structures of modern society. Of course, such generalizations mask huge diversity, and like the rest of the population there differences in gender, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic group/social class, income/pensions and regional/local cultures. The challenge remains how to increase social inclusion for all older citizens and improve their quality of life. The hegemony of institutionalized ageism, both in society in general and in health care services, and the negative cultural representation of older people remain major barriers.