Let elderly people live their lives with dignity

I WELCOME the well-balanced report by Jennifer Hough (January 2) under the heading “Increase in elderly experiencing age apartheid”.

This report rightly points out “that a growing number of elderly are experiencing urban isolation and a form of age apartheid.”

Psychologically, our society is geared to the young. Movies, sports, fashions, and advertising all stress the importance of youth, and we give the elderly less of a role to play than any other older generation ever had. At the same time the lifespan is increasing. This extra time can be years of tragedy unless younger people help their elders overcome the frustration of old age.