Ageism Hurts Older Americans' Health Care, Report Finds

WASHINGTON, DC -- (Eli Digital) Systematic bias against the elderly can be harmful to their health.

A new report from the nonprofit Alliance for Aging Research drew upon scores of studies to document pervasive discrimination against elderly people by the U.S. health care system. It found that health care professionals don't receive adequate geriatric training; older patients are less likely to receive preventive care; proven medical interventions for older patients are often ignored; and older people are consistently excluded from clinical drug trials.

The alliance unveiled the report this week at a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. For a copy of the document, titled Ageism: How Healthcare Fails the Elderly, click here.

http://www.agingresearch.org/brochures/ageism/ageism_booklet_final.pdf