When we see or hear about this, we often think of physical abuse by doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and so forth. (All the nursing residents’ dying from Covid is a particularly egregious example.) But elderly abuse is more prevalent than that!
Here’s an example: There’s an erroneous assumption being made by tech-savvy users (mostly people fifty-years-old or younger) that America’s elderly are also tech-savvy. Not true! And that assumption leads to all kinds of elderly abuse, much of it making the elderly into second-class citizens relegated to the fringes of modern society.
Particular cases: NYC’s MTA assuming that all its riders can use smart phones instead of paper tickets or passes. How will the city’s elderly get around? NYC and others assuming that parking garages and meters can eliminate coins and cash payments by using cell phone apps. How do the elderly cope with that if they don’t have a smart phone? QR codes to take advantage of freebies and sales…or even to follow WABC’s traffic helicopter? The elderly are left out in general. Apps for tickets and traveling—air travel reservations, buses, hotel reservations, and concerts? Not for the tech-challenged elderly. Streaming video? Nope. Either old TV sets or lack of internet doom many elderly. Telemed confrences with doctors? The elderly can’t do them if they don’t have a smart phone or laptop!
The divisions in this country are many: progressives vs. conservatives; far-right fascists vs. far-left fascists; affodable health coverage vs. little or none; diversity on college campuses vs. elitist admission policies; women’s rights vs. none; etc.; etc. But the division between a tech-savvy population and one that isn’t, the latter dominated by elders, is a divison that leads to elderly abuse across America. And it will only get worse!
There’s some hope: The elderly believe firmly in democracy. They flock to the ballot boxes to voice their opinions in contrast to many in the younger population that lives on their smart phones and computers. They also control a lot of money young people don’t have. (They spend too much of theirs on tech!) Any politician who ignores the plight of the elderly in America is a complete idiot. That’s why even the Good Ole Piranhas aka The Fascist Party of America is reluctant to tinker with Medicare and Social Security. The elderly are politically powerful, and they will stand up to elderly abuse. It might take them a while, but the abusers will eventually pay for their abusive actions at the ballot box and in the economy.
Power to the elderly!