Older people feel like 'second-class' citizens
Published on 02 March 2012 12:30 PM
New research has claimed that almost four out of 10 older people feel like a 'second-class' citizen in their own country.
A total of 39% of those quizzed in a poll for housing charity Anchor said they felt they received poor treatment, while 46% said that society in the UK did little to meet the needs of older people in areas like transport and health.
ICM also found in its research that more than half (54%) of older people feel that ageism is not being taken as seriously as it should be. A total of 36% also said that they felt vulnerable whenever they went out at night.
Anchor released its survey findings in a week when a report claimed that many older people suffer humiliation in how they are treated by health and care systems in the UK.
According to the Dignity Commission's interim report (29 February), ageism and other forms of discrimination towards other people had become 'rooted' in the attitudes of wider society.
Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director-General of Age UK said, 'In every sphere of life from hospital to social care or simply buying insurance, older people face daily discrimination.
'Ageism is the most common form of discrimination in the UK. It's time to stop treating older people as second class citizens because of their age, and recognise the valuable contribution that people in later life can and do make.'
Copyright Press Association 2012