I actually just wrote a paper for one of my finals on this!
This isn't just true for America (though I think our culture does contribute to it in its own way, which I will get to in a second) but industrialized nations in general, where youth and productivity are highly valued traits. The loss of youth and the movement from the "working" to the "post-work" sector of society results in the elderly being viewed as irrelevant.
Additionally, in the past, or in small societies of today where outside sources of knowledge aren’t readily available the elderly population is given value because of the knowledge, experience, and skills they have learned that they can share with the rest of the community. However, the technology advancements of modern times have made information easy to access, and they no longer are viewed as valuable in this respect. The role of the elderly is further devalued because they often are unfamiliar with new and rapidly changing technology and do not have the skills to utilize it, while the younger members of society do.
American culture also places great value on autonomy and self-reliance, and the elderly are perceived as lacking these traits, again lowering their status. Additionally, when a family takes in an elderly member, especially one who is physically or mentally ill, some autonomy is lost on the part of the caretaker. It is also important to consider that in American culture, where neolocal (the married couple establishes a residence away from the parents) residence patterns are the norm, there is a lack of support from the community and extended family in raising children and maintaining a household. This usually leaves the two parents solely responsible to raise children, maintain the home, and earn a living. In families where both adults must work, taking on the care of an elderly family member is simply not feasible. I think that these two factors play a role in the fate of many elderly people to end up living away from family in a nursing home or other similar facility.
It has been suggested that the isolation the elderly experience plays a role in the higher rate of dementia in America compared to other parts of the world. While this may be caused by a number of factors, studies have shown that mental stimulation may help cognitive function. However, in American culture normal cognitive function is seen as the sign of a fully integrated and socially acceptable member of society. As cognitive functioning decreases with age, the elderly are further isolated from society. This can result in them living in an environment where they are not stimulated, where they often suffer from loneliness and depression, offering little help to deter the deterioration of cognitive function.
Some of that was directly from my paper, which was on this article...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1369268/
It's pretty interesting.
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