Health Care Discrimination against the Elders - Essay Example

Discrimination against the elderly in the health care field is primarily based on stereotypes as opposed to reality. Most of the people who discriminate against the elderly in the health care setting believe that the health complications and issues experienced by the elderly are basically due to their old age (Macnicol 116). However, this is undoubtedly not true. This is because old age does not cause illnesses or health complications.

 Anyone can fall sick and seek medical attention just like the elderly. When the aged population seeks medical attention, it is often held that whatever they are experiencing is part and parcel of their old age. Diseases, illnesses, or ailments do not occur according to the age factor. For this reason, discriminating against the elderly in the health care setting is primarily an ageism practice.

Geriatrics has moved swiftly in responding to elderly discrimination. Amid this, the critical challenge has been the number of geriatricians in relation to the number of needy elders. Since these two numbers hardly match, the elderly are forced to seek medical attention in many of the facilities that lack geriatricians. As a result, elderly discrimination has exacerbated across the health care setting.

Age is the primary factor that influences ageism practices and informs ageist attitudes (Macnicol 183). The inadequacies in medical training that result in elderly discrimination in the health care setting need to be addressed. Health care practitioners have to be mobilized towards treating the elderly just like any other patient. Age is by no means a cause of disease or any other health complication.