title: The image and reality of "old": time for a change.
abstract: The development of ageism in America is rich with the fears and beliefs of the ancients from prehistory, through biblical millennia into early European and American history. Myths and stereotypes of the invalid, sexless, senile, useless elder die slowly as the relatively well, competent, "graying," population becomes the reality. Studies provide the data that support the changing view of aging, not as disease, but another stage of life with its own challenges and satisfactions. Aging older persons can best be understood within a multidisciplinary perspective which examines the interaction with time of physical, social and psychological aspects of the total personal Societal barriers to continued participation of older Americans in the mainstream of life are beginning to weaken-there is reason for hope.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001290:Attitude; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012922:Social Change; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology