Centre for Policy on Ageing



Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety
Author(s)	Jacqueline Wiles
Journal title	Elderly Care, vol 11, no 5, July/August 1999
Pages	pp 10-14
Keywords	Ageing process ; Ageism ; Quality of life ; Well being ; Literature reviews.
Annotation	There is a stereotyped image of later life, which gives the impression that quality of life and well-being simultaneously decline with age. In exploring how this negative view of ageing has come about, the author looks at ageism and how the ageing process has become "medicalised". She argues that negative stereotypical images combined with the "medicalisation" of older people have been instrumental in the formation of a socially constructed view of later life which is quite erroneous. Major reports such as "Inequalities in health" (the Black Report) are typical in their negative portrayal of older people and ageing. These are countered by other studies, which suggest that the view of later life as a time of miserable mental decline and ill-health is not based on any empirical evidence. Many older people live in circumstances which predispose them to a low quality of life. Despite this, research suggests that their subjective experience of life can be very positive. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-990721215 A
Classmark	BG: B:TOB: F:59: D:F:5HH: 64A
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.