Older women and health services: moving from ageism toward empowerment

Ageism and sexism in health services and research affect the quality of care, patient-provider interaction, patient self-perceptions, and the planning of health education programs for older women. Stereotyping of older women in the health care encounter, although often subtle, can have far-reaching effects on the health status of older women. Prevailing research methodologies are focused on disease processes and neglect older women's subjective experience of illness. Changes at the organizational, community, and individual levels that promote the autonomy and empowerment of older women are discussed.