Neglecting older people is the order of the day, although most people neither observe it, nor appreciate it, nor even realize that they themselves can commit it. As if the issue of age were foreign to them, ignoring the fact that everyone, sooner or later, will blow out the same candles that serve to classify someone as old, old, useless or incapable. This is what numerous institutions denounce, starting with the UN, and continuing with aging experts, an unstoppable process that fully affects not only Spain, but also Europe and the rest of the developed world (the great achievement of the 20th century was to increase life expectancy, says researcher Julio Díaz).
Ageism is everywhere, included in the images that are used to indicate spaces for the elderly and that are chosen by public institutions, those in charge of ensuring against age discrimination and equal treatment (law of 2022, which for the first time sanctions ageism). For this reason, the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services (Imserso) works to put an end to these signs that offend older people.
This was indicated by Mayte Sancho, head of Imserso, who is already working with the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) to modify some traffic signs that may be offensive and advocates eliminating signs that indicate services for the elderly, such as centers intended for this. collective: “Your house is not signposted, because the center should not be signposted either,” said Sancho.
Regarding the DGT signal that the person responsible for Imserso refers to, it is P-21b, which warns of danger due to the proximity of an area where elderly people can frequently be found. The figure shows a bent woman with a cane, followed by a man.
Despite criticism from senior associations, they are still there, showing a vulnerability that they deny. Because there are many types of older people and, increasingly, those who enter in a group of over 65 refuse to accept.
This was indicated by Mayte Sancho during the presentation of the first report of the State Service for Care of the Elderly, from HelpAge International Spain, which manages this service Help Age Foundation, and which reveals that the majority of people who use this telephone number (900-22 -22-22) are women, because they appreciate discrimination more and denounce it.
This report indicates that the majority of queries refer to discriminatory situations in daily activities. Such as not being able to renew a supermarket card because you have turned 80, not allowing you to open an online bank account due to age or denying you the possibility of taking a contracted trip due to your age, despite the affected person being in perfect health and condition. physical.
The main obstacles that older people encounter in their daily lives are linked to access to information about benefits and services, the digital divide and care, according to the aforementioned report. And also, due to age discrimination in the health field.
“We have received queries regarding the quality of health care for older people that range from preventing access to a specific medical service on the basis of 'age', which represents serious discrimination, to situations of ageism due to the language used. by physicians towards the admitted elderly person. This is not a minor issue, as it often causes serious consequences in the physical and mental situation of the person who suffers from this situation,” the aforementioned report states. From HelpAge they ask "to adapt medical communication with the aim that the elderly patient can understand what is transmitted to them and review health protocols that discriminate based on age."
“The problem with ageism is that people are not aware of this discrimination; machismo, xenophobia or racism are identified but the elderly do not feel that they are the object of discrimination,” adds Martínez.
But, even in cases where they are aware of the injustice they are experiencing, it happens that they do not know how they should react to it. For this reason, this entity asks, among other issues, to “promote and strengthen legal guidance services for seniors.”
