How do negative stereotypes affect Americans' perception of the elderly? -- Bias against the elderly creates a negative view of aging / Ageism, like racism and sexism, should be challenged / Negative stereotypes about the elderly are formed in early childhood / Negative stereotypes about the elderly are widespread and damaging / Positive perceptions of old age should be cultivated by the young / In China the elderly are honored and admired / Are elderly people unhappy with their lives? -- Overview: research about happiness in old age yields conflicting results / Yes: old age is a time of decline and loss / Giving up driving is difficult / Isolation in old age is depressing, especially for immigrants / Elderly same-sex couples may lose their right to make choices / No: elderly people often find happiness -- Growing old is not as unpleasant as younger adults expect it to be / Some elderly people enjoy their old age / Old age can bring serenity, and in some cases, new achievements / Should more medical care be provided to the elderly? -- Yes: the elderly are not receiving all the care they need. -- need for long-term care is not being met / Government control will lead to rationing of medical treatment for the elderly / Field of geriatric medicine is vanishing because of inadequate funding / No: the elderly now receive too much needless medical treatment -- Elderly are being harmed by over medication / Some nursing home elderly get futile care / High-tech care for people over eighty is just too costly to be justified / Excessive treatment of people dying of old age is cruel / What major problems are common among the elderly? -- Poverty among the elderly is widespread in America / Homelessness is increasing among elderly adults / Some people must continue to work in old age, yet cannot find jobs / Elderly are vulnerable to fraud and financial abuse / Elderly in nursing homes are vulnerable to abuse / Some elders must take drastic measures to obtain long-term care