Ageism

[Sum1Ls]

You may have read about the pharmacist at my GP practice in my thread AREDS2 - a quite disgraceful example of ageism.

I told a friend about it and she said that it was all too common . The one that got her was a nurse who asked ‘And have we come for our blood test now?’

And I remember another friend snapping when referred to as ‘Sweetheart’ ‘It’s Mrs Munro-Day to you’.

Is it too much to expect proper training for those who work in public facing occupations? Racism is rightly totally unacceptable and called out. So should ageism be.

[Daisy]

Sum, those kinds of comments are, in my view, patronising and misplaced. They don't particularly bother me and the blood test comment would prompt me to say "will you go first or shall I?"

What worries me more is the unspoken assumptions some medics have that, in my 80s I am unable to understand anything slightly technical/medical. A recent example was a telephone call from our surgery saying that my recent hypertension blood test needed to be repeated because of the renal levels - "you know, kidneys". Yes I do know and when I asked what element of the renal result was involved I was told "well, it's renal". I accept she wasn't a doctor or nurse, but it was clear the doctor had just instructed her to tell me to book another test without giving me any information which was important to me.

[Gemini]

Totally agree Sum1. There is no need for it.

They underestimate us.

[Oma]

I hate when something is reported on the news and they will say elderly pensioner in their 60's

Since when has in your 60's become so old ,

I think my DD is 53 this year , they will be saying she is old soon

We stand no chance in our 70-80s now do we.

[Daisy]

Gem, I think in particular women over a certain age are underestimated even by other, younger women.

Oma, you see that phrase so often, don't you. It's crazy especially when the State has decreed that our pension age is 67!