Professional ageism - does it exist?

Abstract

Ageism has complex social roots and broad consequences. It includes a span of intolerant knowledge, values, attitudes and behaviours towards older adults. Two contexts that are intensely accessed by older people are healthcare and long-term care. Nevertheless, there is scant literature on the older people’s real needs for care, seemingly a reflection of actual practice and ageist attitudes. One questions whether or not these contexts, as well as the transition between them, are serving the older people well. Indeed, professional ageism is the label used to describe the service providers’ attitudes towards older adults, namely specific patient management biases that are often based on negative misconceptions. This paper presents the findings of a narrative literature review that explores professional ageism in healthcare and long-term care, emerging from medical, geriatrics and gerontology journals. After attending this session, participants will understand the concept of professional ageism as identified in the literature.