Associate Program Material

Aging and Disability Worksheet

Part I

Identify 2 or 3 issues faced by the aging population.

1. Often elderly people are discriminated in the work force.
2. They have trouble fitting in as vital members of society.
3. They are often seen as a financial drain on the economy.

Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use.

• What is ageism? How does ageism influence the presence of diversity in society?

Ageism is the discrimination of people or groups of people based on their age. As in all cases of discrimination ageism limits the full potential of diversity. Whenever diversity is not accounted for and held as a valueable resource the outcome of any action that could have benifited from said diversity is also limited in its potential.Older generations have experience that should be highly valued by society. Instead they are in most cases seen as obsolete, but this could not be further from the truth. Elderly people have seen enough in their life to easily foresee reoccurring trends. This is an important position in many firms that usually is dedicated to certain individuals full time. Yet, economics usually provales leading to the dicision to fire the more experienced employee, and hire the younger cheaper employee.

• What is the Age Discriminitation in Employment Act (ADEA)? How does the ADEA address issues for the aging population?

Age Discrimination in Employment Act is a set of laws that protects the rights of individuals that have been discriminated against simply based on age. While in some cases this also applies to younger generations in its inadvertency, the laws were mainly to target the workforce that fires employees for economic reasons, rather than basing their employment on the performance in their position. Of course this is not the extent of the laws written in the ADEA, just the main focus as these laws tackle many other types of age discrimination.

• What is being done to address the issues you identified?

Unfortunetly not enough; while there are laws in place that focus on age discrimination, and the supreme courts have taken notice of these laws finding bases for enforcing more of the harder issues involved with ageism, there is still a lot left to be desired. The fact is that all the advancements being made in the business world is in legislation and what really needs to happen is a movement in the business world focused on the important roles that could be forefilled by elderly workers; improving age diversity. A movement like this would not only improve the quality of live of our older members of the community, but also improve the quality of business.

• Is the number of aging population expected to rise in numbers or decrease?

I personally believe that the number of aging population is going to increase due to the improvements and breakthroughs in medical science, and the public awareness campaigns surrounding healthy living. More and more people are turnig their lives around and living healthier lifestyles. This movement does not seem to be fading as I once thought it would. Because of the health choices that people are making with themselves and that of their children, now that they are more informed about all of the dangers of unhealthy habits, and the breakthroughs that the medical community as more medical groups are working together to find new perspective in medical treatment; people are going to live longer, they will live more vibrantly, and therefore become more productive members of society longer into their adult years.

• What types of legislation may or may not be affected by the aging population?

I do not know of any legislation that may not be affected by the aging population being that the term aging population is really relivant to its user. We tend to think of aging population as someone over the age of 40 yrs, but the fact is that this may not be true in the years to come. With the innovations that are expected to take place in the near future, what will be considered the aging population in 2020’? No one knows, and the icing on the cake is that people are becoming more aware of political issues, and the long term affects they have on future generations, as well as the elderly.

• How does poverty affect the aging population?

Poverty can be a virtual death sentence for the elderly. Those that did not follow a financial plan that accounted for medical coverage, cost of living and inflation, sudden drops in the economy, and most importantly a sustainable retirement plan can end up with detrimental results in their life expectancy. Poverty can be devastating enough for a young vibrant member of society, that has it in them to start over and recoupe; this may not be the case for a older person who cannot readily take on the exuation that it can take to recoupe financially and physically.

Part II

Answer the following questions in 100 to 200 words each. Provide citations for all the sources you use.

• What does the ADA provide for people with disabilities?

The Americans with Disabilities Act provides people with disabilities that severly limit there physical interaction with the world the equal right to public transportation, communication, and other public accomidations. It would also set standards in equal oppurtunities stating that a business with more than fiveteen employees must make reasonablre accomidations for qualified, disabled employees for a given position to permit the worker to complete their job. Laws like these allow disabled workers to be productive members of society and by doing so increases the diversity in the workplace, therefore increasing innovation within the business world.

• How have people with disabilities been treated in the past?

People with disabilities in the past were not only treated as lower class citizens, but were also looked at as burdins of society being that they were never given the chance to prove themselves in the work force. As we have grown more aware in society of our own ignorance, more disabled workers are joining the ranks of employement. Since this new wave we have now found an important place for all disabled workers not only as employees, but as members of the community, as the ADA is not only focused on employement but also public accomidations of all kinds.

• How has the attitude toward people with disabilities changed over time?

The attitude has changed in the public eye as well as in individuals in many ways. Besides the new outlook on the disabled in the workforce, people have also become more outgoing in society towards the handicapped. I especially notice the change in the way people behave when a disabled person enters the public. Before people would ignore or it might be considered rude to look in the general direction of a person, say in a wheel chair. The attitude of disabled people is much different as well, when asked by people about their handicap there seems to be much less tension, and defensiveness towards the inquiry.

• What are some unique circumstances or issues encountered by people with disabilities?

I think that unique circumstances for people with disabilities are probably the most normal everyday challenges. The way the bathroom is set-up so that they can get ready for their morning, the way that their kitchen is designed to accomidate their life style, and the way that they must live much more routine oriented to do some of the most normal arrands that people without disabilities take for granted. Another aspect of being disabled that is probably the most unique to their handicap is the phycological factors. It is mentally draining to deal with the constant obsticles of everyday life as a person with a disability, and those obsticales can take their tole on a person.

• What is being done to address those issues?

There are advances being made in animatronics that are very promising to help the disabled with physical handicaps that would remove a lot of the day to day obsticles and hardships. As far as mental disabilities there are many advancements being made all over the world, where the medical restrictions are not so close minded. That is the only real problem in America, with a society so ready to get legal action involved with matters of new advancements, it can be very difficult to introduce new innovations. In order to invite new radical ideas and innovation to the states, there would have to be some reform in the laws pertaining to medical advancements.

• What types of legislation have been introduced to address issues faced by people with disabilities?

There are new types of lobbied legislations every day. Wheather they will be successful or not is yet to be determined at this point, but many organizations have been formed to forward the advancement of equality toward people with disabilities. Although there have been many positive changes over the past decades, there is still more that could be done to help people with disabilities more of a retirement future. This should be the real focus for these organizations now, there is just not enough being done in this arena. As of now many disabled people are able to work, care for themselves in many cases, and are more independent than ever; but more needs to be done to help them prepare for retirement than just scratching by on SSI funding. A secure future as inflation is on the rise will be an even larger challenge in the future for people with disabilities.