to think that pensioners or the elderly are are devalued in our society?

[JeanPoole]

what are your views on how the elderly are treated in this country then?

YANBU. I think they are devalued in our society, that seems to worship youth over experience.

YANBU. Julia Neuberger has written a book about it, if you are interested.

totally devalued

my nan ( the greatest person to have lived) worked all her life, hard.

she retired into a council flat with no savings and reckoned that she was the luckiest person ever.

she as happy that she was in a nice flat - fuel allowence etc more money than she knew what to do with in benefts#

but was this the life that she deserved after all the years she spent working.

i dunno.

as the most important perosn to me in the universe other than my children - i am likley to say no.

however in general - it was ok like.

My M&D are in their eighties. Mum especially has had some health problems, but you know what, they're happy, content and consider themselves very lucky to live in their own small bungalow, with each other.

They had nothing when they got married, couldn't afford to even look at buying their first home until they were older than I am now (46)but didn't feel hard done by. They both worked from the age of 14 until they retired.

They have saved hard for everything they have ever bought. They taught their children to do the same, and to treat everyone as they would like to be treated themselves. They taught us to appreciate the stuff we have and love our families.

So, consequently, they have 3 happy children, all in good strong relationships, and the next generation appear to be going the same way.

We all love our parents very much, but we also respect them. I wish everything these days wasn't directed towards youth. There is sooooooo much we should value about most of the older people in society.

The elderly are treated incredibly badly in this country. They are seen as a burden or as victims. I am planning to bugger off to Italy or Spain when I start getting old. I'm not staying here to be robbed, starved, frozen, ignored and humiliated.

I think to some extent it's because the youth of today are too self-absorbed and selfish to even consider that the elderly generation have anything to offer, even in terms of experience. Which is a real shame.

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The whole world is youth obsessed. We live in a culture of it. That and self obsession.

Just look at advertising. All aimed at being young, young, young. Absurdly so. You're either very young or invisible these days.

Ageing is considered some sort of illness to be held back at all costs. Old can be percieved at 50+ fgs. So when people are genuinely old and frail they are totally devalued.

I think that it depends on what you mean by 'devalued'.

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Plus, in terms of 'youth obsession' I think that actually youths are 'devalued'. They are portrayed in the media as being a load of hoodie wearing hooligans. People cross the road to avoid them.

i think that's a fair point,

" By ThePregnantHedgeWitch on Sat 21-Mar-09 10:13:07
i think they can be devalued, but i also think there are a number of the slightly yuonger OAPs.. the ones in their late 60's Early 70's who seem to think they're owed the same respect/admiration as the WarVets who're late 80's+ simply because they've got their buspass."

you do get some people that reach 60+ aand think it's their right to start being rude to people and grumpy.

i think they probably only do it as a defense thing though.

What is it with the rude and grumpy though?

I'd love to know why some older people become like that - is it because their health isn't good and being in pain makes them grumpy? Is it the same with elderly people in places like Spain and Italy or is it a result of us perhaps devaluing older people in British society?

Does it mean that's how most of us will become? I sincerely hope not.

Or is it maybe the beginnings of dementia before there are further, clearer symptoms? My late MIL was very nasty and aggressive from the time I first met her (in her 60s), and by the time she died she had developed mental illness/dementia. And my very elderly gran has full-blown dementia which includes incredibly aggressive behaviour and shocking, foul language which she didn't use before (although she could always be very spiteful throughout her life).

I have to say, the number of sweet old dears I've come across are few - our neighbours being the exception, two very kind pensioners.

Does it mean that's how most of us will become? I sincerely hope not.

I think alot of it is to do with greedy capitalism and your worth as what you earn or own. Also the rise of individualism and selfishness and lack of community.

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This just gets more bizarre, we are generalising about older pople being 'rude and grumpy' while assuming that our society 'devalues' them (without deciding what we mean by this).

My grandmother is 90 and an inspirational, brave woman. I do not see her being devalued, her wishes/views are respected, people ask her for advice etc.

My own parents are now in their 60s and are neither rude or grumpy. Who are they being devalued by?

But many older people own a hell of a lot more than young people! My parents and in laws both live in houses that we can't afford and drive more expensive cars.

I agree with lots said here.

Helped an elderly lady sort out her shopping trolley this week. She couldn't balance it all. She said I was kind and thanks for noticing her. Ah!
So, I think they are ignored so much.

If it was me struggling with ds and a baby, perhaps more likely to get offer of help?
That's not devaluing as such but it could be seen as I need more help than an older person. (Very vocal situation though...who could ignore that racket??!!!)

Wish I had some oldies in my life, I love em and love talking about the past and when they were young.

So do I wowooo - my grandmother is fascinating.

In capitalist society, anyone who is not out making money is devalued, not just the elderly.

My mum is 78 and fundraises for the local hospice, visits people from her church and helps me out with childcare.

In common with Dweezle, my parents had nothing when they married in the 1950s and have always worked hard.

It is a shame that with our busy lives we are often unable to care for elderly relatives - my father in law aged 93 lives 3 hours' drive away, it's a shame we are not closer, but that's common for this day and age.

Expat - we're going to see more older people out earning money though - I read something recently about the number of people over 60 outnumbering those under a certain age (might have been children, or at least young adults), by 60/40 per cent in 10 years' time.

So perhaps critical mass will mean older people are valued better - but of course we'll be relying on the minority of younger people to work and pay taxes and look after us.

pruners, "I think the old age you have slightly depends on the foundations you lay earlier on."

i think your right there.