SerpApi.Org
Recently, I came across a post on the popular "Ask Old People Advice" subreddit that seemed both interesting and important to talk about. In it, user Plastic-Top-3986 asked, "What's an issue you are facing or have faced recently as an elderly person in America that you feel isn't talked about/reported on?"
"I'm a student journalist," they continued, "and I've been wondering what issues elderly folks have been facing."
The answers were pretty enlightening, and gave older people a chance to be heard regarding issues they don't think young people often think or know about. So, I decided to share. Here are some of the best answers:
1."Ageism in the workplace."
2."The sheer navigation around Medicare Advantage Plans, supplements, and drug plans. The fact that teeth and eyes aren't included. It's a fricken nightmare trying to pick and choose."
3."Some of us spent so many years as a caregiver to our elder family members that we don't have savings for retirement, and are hardly getting by."
4."I can't drive at night because of the new LED headlights. I just make sure I drive during the day. My eyes aren’t what they were and it takes longer to recover from the brightness. It’s too blinding."
5."Mental health. I'm talking about things like anxiety, depression, etc. We talk about that a lot pertaining to younger people these days, but I don't hear about it being discussed much in terms of elder health."
6."Hearing loss, and doctors' inability to make an effort to speak clearly."
7."Literally maintaining my balance. I don't feel quite as steady as I used to. I am contemplating taking up yoga again, as well as outfitting my apartment with grab bars, etc."
—u/Hey_Laaady
8."I thought that Medicare would be basically free. It’s not at all, and it’s so difficult to figure out how to get the care you need."
9."There are no resources for job placement, and ageism is rampant and worse than before. The job market is already abysmal, but being older makes it much harder because we're competing against many more younger folks, who companies will gladly pay less. I just want a basic $20/hr job, and it's hard as hell to find anything."
10."Not every older adult should be expected to have a smartphone, know how to use it, or work a kiosk or tablet."
11."The utter embarrassment of women's health. We're 50 years behind where we should be. It's like the Thalidomide scandal brought research and development to a panicked halt."
12."Worrying about losing my spouse. He's 13 years older and it's assumed he will pass first. He is often my caretaker because I have an autoimmune disease that can take me off my feet at times."
13."Once you have a household member over 60, the amount of telemarketing calls increases exponentially. And they all want information. My father tells them he's 23. He served during the Korean War. It gets rid of a few calls, but there are still 10-20 daily. There should be free access to copy machines and faxes in every town. Email is too difficult for those in their 90s. It's an incredible amount of work keeping up with the sheer volume of paper."
14."I was a caregiver for my mom, who had Alzheimer's. The lack of understanding around Alzheimer's and the caregiving role, among other medical specialties, was frustrating at best, and infuriating at worst."
15."Being invisible and/or ignored. It's worse for women."
16."Menopause. It's like women aren’t supposed to discuss their menstrual/reproductive health aloud. We’re just supposed to let it happen without knowing what to expect or what’s happening to our bodies."
17."All of my Social Security, my pension, and other medical and financial information is only accessible through the internet. The internet is not safe. I get notices at least monthly that one website or another has been hacked, and my information may be sold to someone else. It was not my choice to have financial data on the internet; that choice was made for me. It angers me every time I get a notice that my info has been hacked. I got one from my hospital last week. If I am going to be put at risk, it should at least be my choice."
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18."Having people, from grocery clerks to physicians, call me 'dear' or 'sweetheart' or speak to me as if I'm a slightly limited 12-year-old. It's demeaning. Normally, I just say, 'My name is Ms. Bear. If you have a problem with that, a simple 'Your Majesty' will do.' Or I just give them a blank look and say, 'I may have dementia, but I don't remember you. Have we been intimate? I can’t imagine any other reason you would think it's okay to address me that way.'"
19."Losing the partner/spouse that you've raised a family with. Suddenly, you're alone, and all decisions and responsibilities are yours alone. Compounded by the fact that many contractors see older people as fair game."
20."Loneliness. It's really hard when extended family live far away, and all of your close friends are dead. No one thinks to call or check in with us, even on the holidays. Not getting around like we used to, so we tend to withdraw from society. I go to the grocery store every two weeks just so I can possibly practice my social skills with other people...isn't that sad?"
What do you think? If you're an older person, feel free to air your own experiences in the comments. It can be anything from a petty annoyance you just want to vent about to a serious problem you think is overlooked. Or, if you want to write in but prefer to stay anonymous, you're welcome to use the anonymous form below. Who knows — your comment could be included in a future BuzzFeed article!
Please note: some comments have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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