(no subject)

[rm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/us/07aging.html

Fascinating article on the harm of addressing seniors with elder-speak.

But what really struck me? The toll of words like "sweetie" and "dear" that the article notes are also used for children in a way that can also be disrespectful and isolating. What the article doesn't note: is that these words are used in the same way on women of all ages, and yes, it makes us angry and uncooperative too.

Comments

[lbuckley.livejournal.com]

When my son was recovering from his medical trials last winter, he spent a month in a rehabilitation facility. About half of the patients were elderly. By far, most of the staff were kind, professional, and talked to all of the patients as though they were people.

However, I'll never forget the day I was reading while my son was in therapy on a different floor, and one of the assistant physical therapists was walking an elderly woman around, as she needed practice walking, but assistance doing so. The therapist insisted on talking to the woman as though she was a five year old child, in a really condescending, sing-songy voice. (The therapist herself must have been 20). I remember rolling my eyes at the conversation in general, and then I overheard this bit:

"And what did you do before you retired?"

"I was a physics professor at X university."

"Oh, isn't that sweet, you were a teacher."

Why that woman didn't throttle the therapist, I have no idea.

She probably thought

[haya.livejournal.com]

it was because the therapist was stupid and failed physics.