About Ageism and Health Care Providers[1]
This
article explores research about ageism and “…how ageism is still having a
detrimental effect on healthy aging… It is argued that for a long-lasting
change to occur, service providers need to directly target, these negative
attitudes in themselves, their professional institutions, their clients and
their communities.”
As early as
1947 the world health organization defined health as “…a complete state of
physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of
disease.” In 1986 Welfare Canada
defined health in terms of “quality of life which included the opportunity to
make choices and gain satisfaction from living despite functional limitations,
suggesting that health is a domestic process of interation between individuals
and their communities. (Which reminds me that this weekend I need to do
canvassing in my neighborhood for donations to the Canadian Cancer Society.)
Among the
important factors are diet and exercise. It has been reported that “Diet and exercise have significant
effects on carbohydrate metabolism osteoporosis, cholesterol levels, diabetes,
blood pressure, respiratory functioning, and hydration.”
There are
also emotional factors. For
example a longitudinal study in Sweden “…revealed that death rates increased by
48 percent for men and 26 percent for women within the first three months after
losing their spouse.”
There are
also some cognitive factors; for example the sense of control. “ A sense of
control results from the belief that certain actions will lead to certain
results and the conviction that one has the capacity to produce those results.
But keep in mind that “ Successful aging cannot be equated with total
independence and lack of reliance on others. (Hummm, here comes my wife whom I am working with to fix the
upstairs bathroom floor.) This
leads to a note on self-esteem.
A review of
literature by the author found that “…correlates the of self-esteem unique to
older adults were health status and attitudes toward aging.” For more information go to
the original article.
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