Discrimination against older people prevails today, the limitations that society imposes on them prevent them from aging in a healthy and happy way. Given this, experts agreed, it is necessary to change the way we view old age and value older people for their wisdom, learning and life lessons.
The capacity of people should not be measured by their age but in their different conditions, to avoid falling into discrimination with older people, as stated by Dr. Louise Aronson, professor in the division of Geriatrics at the University of California in San Francisco, during a press conference organized by Ethnic Media Services.
«Aging is not just about becoming older, because in reality from the moment you are born, you begin to age,»detailed Louise Aronson.
In that sense, she said that we should avoid implying that as people age they lose value, since many people make an effort to eat healthy and take care of themselves just to stay young, becoming obsessed with the idea that as they age they become less beautiful, intelligent or important.
In reality, she pointed out, aging is not a problem, since there are older people who keep themselves very careful, such as those who run marathons in their 60s or older.
Aging in a healthy and happy way is possible, she warned; society must understand that older people are like everyone else, with feelings and dreams, which makes them just as valuable as any other person.
However, she said, in the case of the medical system there is a great difference in the sectors of society, there are more health programs for women, children, and adults, but there is no priority for the elderly, a clear example is in vaccines.
«We give vaccines based on people's biology and social behaviors, we have 17 subcategories for children and we have 3 for adults ages 19 to 64, anyone over 64 has only one subcategory. There is a lot of difference between ages so it cannot be said that it is based on scientific evidence», commented Aronson.
Given this, he explained that research, resources and health programs need to be expanded for this neglected sector, while older adults must be seen with the same importance as others.
Cheryl Brown, president of the Executive Committee of the California Commission on Aging, explained that it works directly with society as well as with some non-profit organizations and private sector partners, where they seek to address the needs of older people and support them in various areas.
Brown explained that the priorities for this year are: improving health services, increasing job opportunities, supporting older adults who are already working, addressing the issue of people who are homeless and increasing options for they.
In order not to fall into age discrimination and racism, she stressed that diversity, equity and inclusion must be taken into account as basic principles in the life of each person.
The expert stressed that we must understand that equity is not equality, and older adults must be treated equitably according to their capacity.
In response to this question, Brown explained the use of the bicycle. For her, it is important to see life as riding a bicycle, if you want equality, everyone receives a bicycle, but if you want equity, everyone will receive a bicycle according to their needs, their size and depending on their ability.
Dr. Barry Reisberg, Professor of Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health and Adjunct Professor at the Center for Aging Studies, explained the 7 stages of Alzheimer's, demonstrating that even with this disease, people have a useful lifespan and can even continue working for years. the first stages.
However, he pointed out, it is necessary to always have the support and support of a family member to find and understand what stage they are in and decide in time when to stop working and carry out various activities.
At the beginning of Alzheimer's, it may seem like a coincidence to forget where we left things or some things we had to do, but later the loss of memory will be more evident, forgetting the names of people, the things to do and accomplish, and even how use the bathroom or what you should eat, and it is in this last stage that a person will be needed to take charge of their daily care, he added.
Dr. Reisberg pointed out that each stage in Alzheimer's takes approximately a year to a year and a half, but it is not always the same for each person. When the disease progresses it is very evident; There comes a time when people can only say one word all day, the ability to speak is lost, but so is the ability to walk and move on their own.
Successful aging is not a real term, because there is nothing that says what success is, and it cannot be said that when people age they fail, the speakers agreed, to which they recommended talking about aging in an optimized way, that is, in the best and healthiest way possible. Given this, we must all change the way we see older people and begin to give them value for the simple fact of living.
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