Promoting healthy aging by confronting ageism.

Abstract

Negative stereotypes about older people are discussed with specific regard to their negative influence on the mental and physical health of older people. Much research has demonstrated a clear, direct threat to the cognition of older persons when older individuals believe in the truth of these negative stereotypes. For example, the will to live is decreased, memory is impaired, and the individual is less interested in engaging in healthy preventive behaviors. Negative age stereotypes also have significant negative effects on the physical well-being of older persons. Recovery from illness is impaired, cardiovascular reactivity to stress is increased, and longevity is decreased. Impediments to addressing this issue are presented, along with several specific and evidence-based recommendations for solutions to this problem. The healthy aging of older adults can be greatly enhanced with the concerted efforts of politicians, educators, physicians, mental health professionals, and other health care workers working to implement these recommendations. (PsycINFO Database Record

Información Y Exposición Indirecta Para Reducir Estereotipos Hacia El Envejecimiento

“…Además, el trabajo ha mostrado el poder de cambio que tiene el corto-documental utilizado, Como un Rolling. El hecho de representar nuevas y diversas visiones del envejecimiento en contra de la tradicional negativa y estereotipada, ayuda a armonizar el proceso, dota de posibilidades de control y otorga protagonismo a la persona sobre su propio proceso de envejecimiento, convirtiendo la desesperanza en esperanza y la incertidumbre en capacidad de adaptación junto a la posibilidad de contar con los recursos/capacidades necesarios para lograrla, incluso de generar una visión de que la juventud al igual que la vejez son etapas del ciclo vital, y el ser humano se encuentra en un continuo proceso de adaptación (Nelson, 2016;Oh, Bailenson, Weisz, y Zaki, 2016).…”

Psychometric properties of the Negative Stereotypes Towards Aging Questionnaire (CENVE) among a sample of Portuguese adults

“…Agism and negative attitudes can influence the potential for healthy and active aging (Nelson, 2016;Rippon et al, 2014). In fact, stereotypes about aging have a significant influence on older people themselves and can deleteriously impact their health, reduce autonomy, independence, and quality of life (Swift et al, 2017).…”

“…Given the practical implications of this issue, in the last few decades, many researchers have analyzed the implications of agism and negative stereotypes, with specific regard to negative influences on the mental and physical health of older people (Ayalon & Tesch-Römer, 2017;Dionigi, 2015;Nelson, 2016;World Health Organization, 2015). Several investigations note a clear and direct threat to the cognition of the elderly, namely, when they believe and incorporate these negative stereotypes themselves (Marquet, Missotten, & Adam, 2016;Nelson, 2016).…”

“…Several investigations note a clear and direct threat to the cognition of the elderly, namely, when they believe and incorporate these negative stereotypes themselves (Marquet, Missotten, & Adam, 2016;Nelson, 2016). For example, stereotypes about age-related cognitive decline may have a detrimental effect on older adults regarding their cognitive performance.…”

“…Negative age stereotypes also have significant effects on the physical well-being of older persons. Recovery from illness is impaired, cardiovascular reactivity to stress is increased, and longevity is decreased (Nelson, 2016). These negative stereotypes have important social and economic implications (Lamont et al, 2015), which are particularly relevant given the aging population.…”