Credits: Social Media
New study reveals ‘concerning’ number of old people feel excluded from society
Growing old is a difficult time as you get weaker and begin to rely on others more, but the society we live in makes it even harder.
A new study by the UKs largest private provider of home care Home Instead has revealed the sad reality of being an old person in this day and age.
Old people feel excluded from society
The New Aging Index study surveyed over 1,000 people and found that a huge number of elderly people feel excluded and marginalized from society.
From fashion to music and television, the older generation is increasingly feeling like there is nothing targeted at them.
66% said they feel culturally excluded due to new music and 60% added that clothing and fashion brands make them feel marginalized.
A further 59% said that high street brands exclude them, and 57% also revealed they feel shut out by new TV and cinema.
Modern culture is increasingly being targeted at the younger generations, so older people feel like they no longer belong.
Technology is a huge issue
Another reason old people feel excluded is due to technology, which is continusouly advancing and leaving them behind.
A huge 77% of the participants said technology must be made simpler for older people to use. In people aged 75 and over, that figure rose to 91%.
This exclusion creates a sense of isolation from society which results in loneliness amongst the older generation.
Being old is like being cancelled
35% of the respondents claimed that being old is like being cancelled, rising to 43% for older women aged over 75.
Cancel culture is when a person deemed to have acted or spoken in an unacceptable way is ostracized and shunned from society.
You get to a point in your life where you cease to exist as far as the rest of the world is concerned. Being excluded like this really is like being cancelled – you feel that you are no longer invited to the party,” Margaret Newson, 88, said.
You begin to feel invisible in every aspect of your life which for many leads to an increased sense of isolation and loneliness. The older people I know are desperate for this to change. We live active and healthy lives and we want to be a part of things. And why shouldnt we be?”
Martin Jones, CEO of Home Instead said that we “urgently need to challenge” how older people are both perceived and treated, adding that the fact so many of these people say they feel like theyre being cancelled is “extremely concerning”.
