User:Saramouser/Gerontophobia

Lead
Gerontophobia is the fear of age-related self-degeneration (similar to Gerascophobia), or a hatred or fear of the elderly due to memento mori.[citation needed] The term comes from the Greek γέρων – gerōn, "old man" and φόβος – phobos, "fear". Gerontophobia has been linked to Thanatophobia as fear of old age can be a precursor to fear of death Gerontophobia can be caused by harmful stereotypes of Elderly people displayed in the media such as:

Ageism[edit]
Discriminatory aspects of ageism have been strongly linked to gerontophobia. This irrational fear or hatred of the elderly can be associated with the expectation that someday all young people including oneself will be old inevitably and suffer from the irreversible health decline that comes with old age, which is associated with disability, disease and death. The sight of aged people could be a possible reminder of death (memento mori) and inevitable biological vulnerability. This unwillingness to accept these can manifest in feelings of hostility and discriminatory acts towards the elderly.

History
Old age was previously seen as a golden age in the Middle Ages Around the time of the Anglo-Saxons there was a shift towards more negative views of the elderly this lead to more and more literature developing a Gerontophobic view

Portrayal in the media
Gerontophobia is heavily portrayed in the media starting as early as Anglo-saxon poetry but is also found common literary classics such as Shakespeare's King Lear, Johnathan Swifts' Gulliver's Travels, and Jane Austen's Persuasion

Treatments for Gerontophobia
Treatment for Gerontophobia can be better education and exposure, insight therapy, and