TY - JOUR AU - Korkmaz Yaylagul, Nilufer AU - Seedsman, Terence PY - 2018 DA - 2018/11/28 TI - A Call to Arms for the Aged Care Sector: A Spotlight on Systematic Abuse and Neglect of Older Disabled Persons JO - OBM Geriatrics SP - 022 VL - 02 IS - 04 AB - With rapidly aging populations worldwide there will be an increasing need to focus attention on the expected increase in disability with advancing age. Drawing upon established literature this paper aims to highlight the contribution of anthropology including selected research findings and contemporary understandings surrounding aging and disability. A quality of life and lifecourse approach is offered including social system failures known to arise from the influence of ageism. Disability is portrayed as first residing in the individual with disability while also representing a major public health challenge. Evidence shows that effective programming for disability prevention can lower the incidence of disability in later life. At the same time, it is shown that there are people with lifelong disabilities that are non-modifiable in comparison to a host of modifiable lifestyle risk factors. It is also demonstrated that people who are aging with disabilities do not represent a uniform group. There is the situation described as ‘double disadvantage’ whereby people are not only aging but also experiencing one or more forms of disability. The contemporary concept of ‘successful aging’ is challenged on the basis that it can be seen as being discriminatory to older people with disabilities. When consideration is given to the gender issue it emerges that older women with a disability can often be the victims of a ‘triple jeopardy’. Healthcare workers are challenged to unburden themselves with negative images and practices surrounding aging and disability in favor of recognizing the diversity among disabled older persons including the importance of helping each individual to achieve a good old age. Societies claiming to have humanitarian concerns for the aged are challenged to demonstrate that they have in place responsive policies and service systems that can prevent, minimize and/or effectively respond to the diverse needs of older people with disabilities. SN - 2638-1311 UR - https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804022 DO - 10.21926/obm.geriatr.1804022 ID - Korkmaz Yaylagul2018 ER -