In 1968 Robert Butler coined the term old age (ageism) to refer to set of stereotypes and systematic discrimination against people because they are older, in the same way that the racism and the sexism they do it with skin color and gender.
The term is therefore used to refer to the derogatory view of a social group, based solely on his advanced chronological age.
In today's society there are values that exalt youth and modernity, belittling everything that is associated to the contrary. Old age is considered as a negative change stage, where losses, loneliness and pain predominate. This causes young people to see older people differently from what they are themselves, ceasing to identify them as equals..
The maintenance of these social prejudices, which are not based on facts, but are the result of misinformation and ignorance, It constitutes the first step towards real discrimination against people, in this case, the elderly. This situation can be aggravated when the older person accepts them and incorporates them into their personal vision and self-concept, generating numerous damages to their health and psychological well-being.
People of advanced age have their own defining characteristics, just like everyone else, no matter how old we are. Stereotypes that associate old age with certain personality characteristics, such as bad humor, criticism, manias, etc. predominate in our society, totally moving away from reality. He or she who tends to be in a bad mood with 15, 20, 30 or 40 years will also do it with 70, 80 or 90.
When we reach a certain chronological age, we can usually describe ourselves in a way similar to how we did ten or twenty years ago. Each person grows and evolves with their own characteristics. In this way, just as among the group of young people we can find very different people, we will also do it among older people.
Related to the foregoing and confirming it are the studies that analyze the personality types and behavior styles of people throughout the life cycle. These studies find fewer differences between people of the same age during youth, and find many more differences among those over 60. Therefore, the elderly population is characterized by being very heterogeneous; this is incompatible with the stereotypes that try to homogenize it.
Through education and information, today's society must fight to eradicate stereotypes towards the elderly population. In any situation they should be treated as equals, regardless of their chronological age.
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