week 6 discussion post reply

Most older adults probably avoid these services because they get turned away and or get mistreated. Many people do not give most elders the same type of equal treatment that they would a younger client. According to the article “You’re not too old to talk to someone” Dr. Plotkin mentions “The unfortunate attitude that most people have, including doctors, is that older people cannot change, that they’re stuck in their ways.” he noted, studies have shown that older people do as well in psychotherapy as younger ones. He goes on to mentions that practitioners prefer younger clients and will turn away elderly clients as well as they will not accept Medicare due to the reimbursement being so low (Span, 2020). Practitioners that do not accpept medicare are preventing many Older adults from being able to find the type of health care that they need to be able to continue to live a healthy life. Older adults do just as well and are more open to therapy. We cannot assume that all older adults have the same mentality, that they are all becoming senile and physically deteriorating. “Every-one is not in the same mental and physical condition at age 65. Aging is an individual process that occurs at different rates in different people, and sociopsychological factors may retard or accelerate the physiological changes” (Zastrow et al., 2019, p.647). Many older adults are still very much healthy physically and mentally at ages 75-80 and many that are living beyond 100.

Zastrow, C., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment. Cengage.

Span, P. (Oct. 30, 2020). “You’re Not Too Old to Talk to Someone”.