Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging 1414 Mac Arthur Road, Madison, WI 53714

"This morning I watched a rerun of Betsy Abramson's presentation of Ageism on PBS originally shown in 6/2015. I can't tell you how happy I was to view this presentation! I have had my own experiences with the way I am treated and spoken to now that I am 70. No one wants to help you when you are older, but when you do something fun there is always someone there to tell you that at "your age" you shouldn't be doing that. Until now, I have felt I needed to start staying home, watch television, let my body go, and just get old like I am expected. I have even been to doctor appointments where I am shouted at as though I was deaf, and belittled for not being the size 8 that I was in the 80's. It would appear that older people are disgusting, demented, and not the "perfect" patient that young medical staff thinks we should be. Ironically, it is usually coming from an individual way overweight, mouthy, uncaring, and just there for the money. At 150 lbs. I was told I was "morbidly" obese for my age! ! I plan on living long enough to see this next generation age just to see how they handle being treated like that. The medical profession has a lot to learn. It would take a lot for me to ever go to an emergency room again! My pharmacist has been more invaluable and caring than the current age group in the medical field."