Abstract
One of the biggest myths about growing older is the assumption that everyone miraculously becomes old at the age of 65. When this time arrives we are made aware of it, by no longer paying full price for entry to cinemas (as long as we go when others do not). Our hair is cut on ‘pensioner days’, we are allowed cheaper bus travel if we go out when ‘workers’ have left for work and, if we are unfortunate enough to become ill, we are nursed in areas known as ‘geriatric’, ‘long-stay’ or ‘rehab’ units.
Your birthday tells you when you were born not how old you are. (Spokes Symonds, 1987)
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References
Longfield, J. (1984) Ask The Family. Shattering the Myths About Family Life, Bedford Square Press, London.
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Further Reading
Gunter, L.M. (1971) Students’ attitudes towards geriatric nursing. Nursing Outlook, 19, 466–9.
Palmore, E. (1982) Attitudes towards the aged. What we know and need to know. Research on Ageing, 4(3), 333–48.
Seers, C. (1986) Talking to the elderly and its relevance to care. Nursing Times, Occasional Paper, 82(1), 51–4.
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© 1996 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Chaisty, L. (1996). Square pegs in round holes: the social context of the lives of older people. In: Matthew, L. (eds) Professional Care for the Elderly Mentally Ill. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3015-6_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3015-6_1
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