Interview on Ageism Paper Example

Part one: Interview Questions

Ageism is a situation whereby people face stereotyping and discrimination based on their age. It affects both the young and the elderly people and this remains a major challenge in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. As a result, many researchers are concerned with the views that people have on ageism. The interview is meant to collect information about the attitudes and experience that you have on ageism. The data will be used for study purposes only and any extra usage of the data will be done after you your consent. Kindly provide the information.

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• What is your name?
• What is your age?
• In which state were you born? Do you live in the same place?
• When was the first time you experienced ageism and how old were you?
• What services were seeking when it happened?
• What is the estimated age of the person who treated you in that discriminatory way?
• At what age do you think the young age starts and at what age does it end?
• Do you have friends who are of the other different age groups?
• Did the experience seem to affect more people around you or just you?
• Did the experience affect the satisfaction you have in life?
• In your own view, is ageism related to gender?
• Have you seen ageism in the marketing messages aired in the media?
• What suggestions do you have about the responsibilities of the government in dealing with ageism?
• Have you experienced ageism in other sectors like in the workplace and healthcare?
• What are the different types of ageism expressions that you have seen in social life?
• What are the different symptoms of ageism and elder abuse around your society?

Part two: The interview

• What is your name?

My name is Mr. Bill Walker

• What is your age?

Am aged 66 years.

• In which state were you born? Do you live in the same place?

I was born in Alabama and I live in California.

• When was the first time you experienced ageism and how old were you?

The first time was when I was looking for a job after college and I was aged 30 years old.

• What services were seeking when it happened?

I applied for a job as a driver with one of the local distribution stores. When I went for the interview, the management team that was undertaking the interview mocked me that I was too young to become a driver and that my age could not fit in the work. They insisted that I would not be responsible enough and that there were high chances that I would cause accidents.

• What is the estimated age of the person who treated you in that discriminatory way?

The age of the interviewers was between 45 years and 60 years.

• At what age do you think the young age starts and at what age does it end?

The young age is up to 35 years. I mean that is what most of the people view as the last year of being a youth.

• Do you have friends who are of the other different age groups?

I have a wide range of friends and they are of all ages. However, a large number of them are of my age and this is because of the common factors related to my age. For example, most of them are the ones I have met during my working days and this means we are relative to the same age.

• Did the experience seem to affect more people around you or just you?

The experience felt to me that it was directed to me because of my age. However, I think any other interviewee of my age could have faced a similar prejudice.

• Did the experience affect the satisfaction you have in life?

Yes, it did. For a long time, I felt that I was not fit to work in any company at that age and I felt I was not satisfied with the life I was living.

• In your own view, is ageism related to gender?

Ageism is related to gender in many ways. For example, at the old age, regardless of the experience that we have, no employer wants to hire the elderly people. The stereotype behind this trend is that most of the elderly people are slow and less productive. They are also assumed to be expensive to hire and they are expected to have many cases of absenteeism as compared to the younger people. Some employers also believe that older men have fewer health issues than women of the same age and this affects the way ageism affects the two genders.

• Have you seen ageism in the marketing messages aired in the media?

Ageism is clearly seen in the marketing and advertising done in the media today. Most of the people who design the marketing messages are young and they rarely understand what the old people want. Some messages are directed to the young people only and yet they advertise universal products and this is because of the stereotype that the old people cannot switch brands and that they are already loyal to certain brands.

• What suggestions do you have about the responsibilities of the government in dealing with ageism?

The government should monitor the way people are treated in different institutions and ensure there are measures to integrate the different age groups through programs. Many employees should also be trained on how to deal with the old people and also more offices should be established to offer assistance to the old people.

• Have you experienced ageism in other sectors like in the workplace and healthcare?

Yes, I have. In my latest job, my employer discriminated against the elderly and insisted we were too old to get training for new skills. When the young employees were taken for training and seminars, the elderly were left out. In healthcare, I have had an experience whereby the nurses referred to us as old and sickly and offered us a different place to be served by an elderly doctor like is.

• What are the different types of ageism expressions that you have seen in social life?

These are countless. In many cases, I have been called old and slow, smelly, old hag, old farts, I have been told to act my age, I have been called an old witch and many others.

• What are the different symptoms of ageism and elder abuse around your society?

I have experienced physical, financial, emotional, and abandonment.