Ageism in Nursing.

Stereotypes of older adults and assumptions of old age as a time of dependency and vulnerability affect not only how older adults are perceived and treated by society, but how they are treated by members of the nursing profession as well. When nurses display ageist attitudes, it can be harmful to older patients both physically and emotionally. In this review article the author describes some of the literature related to ageism in nursing, discusses how ageism can affect the quality of the care that is provided to older adult patients, and explains theories that may help explain ageism in nursing.