In December 2019, a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was identified in Wuhan, China and spread rapidly during the spring of 2020 to become a worldwide pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2020) notes that the disease caused by this virus, labeled Coronavirus Disease–2019 (COVID-19), has been especially deadly for older people and those with certain chronic diseases commonly, but not exclusively, seen among older adults. The rapid spread of the disease led many governments to institute stay-at-home orders, business closures, and contact limitations that have varied among countries and in the United States, between and within states. As of this writing, the world continues to battle a rising tide of infection while also seeing advances in treatment and the possibility of a vaccine on the horizo n. The pandemic appears to have myriad implications related to aging and the lives of older people. With the recognition that older people may be at higher risk for infection and mortality related to the virus, we have seen international media, social media, and public health officials framing "the elderly" as a homogeneous and vulnerable group, seemingly conflating physical vulnerabilities common in later life with chronological age. The pandemic has even led to hate speech in the form of monikers such as "Boomer Remover" that could promote generational conflict. This negative framing, the antithesis of "reframing aging" themes promulgated by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), could have lasting effects on attitudes toward aging and older persons. Such framing ignores uniquely valuable skills, knowledge, historical memory, and learned temperamental strategies that older adults may possess to share with and model for younger generations during such a crisis. It also ignores the fact that many older adults remain in the workforce in critical positions and support their families.
No comments:
Post a Comment