The Paradox of Growing Old
Mary Beard argues that in years to come, our treatment of old people will be as much of a blot on our culture as Bedlam and the madhouses were on the culture of the 18th century.
Mary Beard reflects on recent TV programmes and newspaper articles about what's going on in care homes for the elderly.
She says she believes that in a few hundred years' time, "our treatment of old people will be as much of a blot on our culture as Bedlam and the madhouses were on the culture of the 18th century".
But she also argues that our view of dementia is a sanitized one. She says we have to recognize that dementia can make its sufferers truculent and aggressive...something that most of us - not just care workers on a minimum wage - would find very difficult to deal with.
Producer: Adele Armstrong.
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A Point of View: The paradox of growing old
Mary Beard reflects on the way the elderly - and their carers - are treated in society.
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Broadcasts
- Fri 9 May 2014 20:50Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Sun 11 May 2014 08:48Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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A Point of View
A weekly reflection on a topical issue.
