AGEISM-NEED FOR AGE DISCRIMINATION LAW
Speech by K. Siladass
at MCHA Conference on 24th July
2019 on Healthy Ageing
The general consensus is that it is not the culture of
the Asians to be disrespectful to the elders – be it the parents or
grandparents, or generally, elderly persons. The younger generation revere the elders,
and hold them in high estimation. There is an Arab proverb which says, if you
do not have an old man at home buy one.
The great Roman statesman, orator, lawyer ad
philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero tells us that during the great Olympiad all
seats in the stadium had been occupied, and when an elderly person showed up,
the youngsters stood up as a mark of respect and offered their seats. These were
the common features in a civilized society. It was unnecessary to enact laws to
teach, regulate and instil good manners, to honour the elderly.
Today, even Asian countries are enacting laws to
protect their senior citizens. Was it necessary? If that is a wrong question to
ask, would it be proper to assume that Western education has actually altered
Asians’ mindset, especially relating the veneration extended to the elders,
generally. In dealing with the Western education I am mindful of the benefits
the human kind had derived through it: but what could be very distressing is
the changes that had occurred after two world wars which had indeed caused attitude
related difficulties that seem insurmountable.
We, Asians know that there were discriminations
everywhere, even after countries had been decolonized the new national
government were slow or totally disregarded any notion to eradicate every form of
discrimination. And discrimination were of varied kind, and nationalism was gaining
popularity. And there was strong movement towards racism, and racism blended
with religion became too popular. And because popular too. We were growing
accustomed to racism, and sexism. The West was arming itself against
discrimination wherever it may be found. United Nations and human rights
organization were devising methods to combat discrimination of every form. And
Asians too were looking at the ways discrimination could be arrested:
notwithstanding the fact, in Asian countries legalized discrimination was a
norm, in the name of race or religion, or both.
There was one area where US seemed uncomfortable and
that is the abuse and discrimination against elders. Although, race
discrimination was rampant one incident showed that discrimination is not
confined to race, or religion for that matter. The elders were being
discriminated in a subtle manner and this was highlighted by Robert Neil Butler
in his article “Age-Ism: Another Form of Bigotry.”
Butler referred to the National Capital Housing Authority’s
proposal1 to purchase Regency House, a high-rise apartment building
in Chevy Chase for the elderly poor, and held hearings on its proposal. The
hearings were attended by middle class and middle-aged white citizens of Chevy
Chase and they were against the purchase of luxury housing with a swimming pool
on the roof of the Regency Hotel for older people who were not accustomed to
luxury. Some of the statements made at the hearings were published in the local
newspapers and they were:-
“You
would open the door for people who don’t know how to live.”
“Slums are made by the people who live in them.”
“It (public housing) has to come sometimes but not
this time or in this place.”
“I am not against old folks, believe me.”
“Who wants all those old people around?”
Butler went on to explain that the use of Regency
House for the elderly poor carried implications beyond Chevy Chase: The classic
or scapegoat explanation for prejudice turns upon the unconscious effort to
justify one’s own weaknesses by finding them in other – in other races,
religious, or nationalities. Personal insecurity, once generalized, becomes the
basis of prejudice and hostility.2
Butler added:
“Age-ism describes the subjective experience implied
in the popular notion of the generation gap. Prejudice of the middle-aged
against the old in this instance, and against the young in others, is a serious
national problem. Age-ism reflects a deep seated uneasiness on the part of the
young and middle-aged-a personal revulsion to and distaste from growing old,
disease, disability; and fear of powerlessness, ‘uselessness’, and death.
“Cultural attitudes in our society reinforce these
feelings. We have chosen mandatory retirement from the work force and thus
removed the elderly from the mainstream of life. Age-ism is manifested in the
taunting remarks about “old fogeys,” in the special vulnerability of the
elderly to muggings and robberies, in age discrimination in employment
independent of individual competence, and in the probable of inequities in the
allocation of research funds.”
At that time, in 1969, Butler confined ageism as
parallel to racism. But in 1987, Butler defined ageism “as a process of systematic
stereotyping and discrimination against people because they are old, just as
racism and sexism accomplish this for skin colour and gender.”3
Butler did express his concern
about “the probable inequities in the allocation of research funds.”
Since the term ageism had
evoked considerable attention, as the literature on ageism had been steadily
increasing, but not plenty as that on racism or sexism. The database Psychinfo,
contained 3,111 articles on racism, 1385 articles on racism, 1385 articles on
sexism and only 294 articles on ageism.4
The articles on ageism devote much attention on
examining Butler’s definition which seemed too wide. There are suggestions that
ageism should be restricted aimed at protecting the elders from abuse and
humiliation. And in deserving cases they should be respected and their talent
recognized with proper reward.
There is admittedly some
confusion as to the definition of the term ageism, and it has been pointed out
that it “is distinct in many ways from other isms.”5 I am inclined
to this view as racism is against other races altogether whereas sexism is
against women generally. Ageism is relative to age. A person when he is young,
strong and useful society will like him or her: but, when aging process reaches
a point of no return the discrimination is too obvious. This could be seen from
some of the ways elderly people had been dealt with.
A letter to The Guardian in 1989 complained that the
writer’s aunt sought medical treatment from the NHS for her varicose veins
which had begun to be painful. The specialist told her that she could not have
the operation to replace the damaged veins with artificial ones because it was
not advisable for a person of her age to have an operation! Furthermore, the
operation for varicose veins was essentially a cosmetic one and therefore
normally reserved for younger women who needed to keep their husbands happy.
The letter ended with a question: “Is this official NHS policy?” 5
We are not to be left out in this type of saga in
Malaysia. Thomas Foo in his letter to New Straits Times wrote:
“A
week ago, my wife, who is in her 70s, had a fainting spell after her walk. I
took her to a private hospital, where the doctor recommended that she be
admitted for some scans and tests. It turned out that there was nothing
serious. I went to the admission counter to process her admission procedures.
In spite producing a credit card to pay for the bill, I was asked to act as a
guarantor and to produce another guarantor. My sister-in-law, a retired headmistress,
offered to be a guarantor, but she was rejected since she was above 60. This
requirement is disturbing as elderly people without children or those with
children living abroad will have problems looking for guarantors.”
There are a plethora of description demeaning the
elderly: for example: “dirty old man”; “second childhood”; “old age symptoms
showing”; “fussy old man”; “grey tsunami” and other terms.
Aside the demeaning description of the elderly there
have been remarks suggestive that the elderly had outlived their usefulness.
The improved life span, to those who complain that the elderly are a burden on
the economy have not been very kind. We have a British novelist Martin Amis who
compared the growing army of elderly to “an invasion of terrible immigrants,
stinking out the restaurants and cafes and shops.” Christopher Buckley, is an
American author, and both, Amis and Buckley encourage euthanasia. Amis has
offered “a Martini and a Medal,” and Buckley suggested “tax breaks” for euthanasia
volunteers.
The Economist editorial pointed out that “Amis and
Buckley are right to warn about the threat of the ‘Silver tsunami’. Most people
understand about the ageing society in the abstract. But few have grasped the
size of tsunami or the extent of its consequences.”
The comparison of aging with tsunami was indeed distressing
least to say; for, how could one equate the natural aging with disaster which
is also natural. Tsunami causes disasters, and how could old age cause similar
violence. Was the editorial suggesting that aging would have terrible
consequences such as that of tsunami in Japan?
But, it would be wrong to single out Economist alone
who had embarked on a journey to vilify the elderly people: In June 1989, The
Guardian in its editorial categorically stated that, “we must see old men,
constitutionally and not in further chaos, defeated and removed.”
If we look at all these we could reasonably conclude
that abuse against elderly person is rampant in this country. And ageism has
also entered into Asian region.
India, which is known as the bastion for respecting
and honouring elderly people had to pass laws to protect the elderly. The Maintenance
and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 makes it a legal obligation
of children to provide for their elderly parents, abandoning them is a criminal
offence. The Indian law aim to protect biological, adoptive or step-parent,
grand-parents, or senior citizens over 60 years who cannot maintain themselves,
can claim maintenance.
Senior citizens who do not have children can claim
maintenance from an adult relative who is in possession of their property or
will inherit the property on their death.
Malaysia too has similar problems. Children abandoning
parents after taking away their savings or have property transferred to them.
Most of the disabled old parents end up in charitable homes. I would urge the
Government to look to India as a model to enact similar law as the Maintenance
and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 so that the elders will not
be left in the lurch.
…… end ……
Notes:
1See Age-Ism: Another form of Bigotry
2ibid
3In the Encyclopedia of Aging
4Thomas Nicolai Iversen, Lars Larsen, Per
Erik Solem: A conceptual analysis of Ageism
5Quoted by Bill Bytheway and Julia Johnson
in their article On Defining Ageism
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