Between 2006 and 2007, the average growth rate of the population aged over state pensionable, men aged 65 and over and women aged 60 and over, in the United Kingdom (UK) was almost 2 percent. As of 2008, the population of UK was nearly 20% elderly people, specifically those with ages over state pensionable (National Statistics, 2008).
Based on sheer observation, as a significant part of the state’s stakeholders, the elderly people in UK are subjects of many issues that most government and non-government organizations and media institutions have far been dwelling upon, specifically concerning their welfare and security.
Such issues were clearly identified by Community Care (2008) as gathered from different non-government organizations dealing with the care of elderly people in UK. These issues were poverty, continuing care, dementia, protection from abuse, health care services, and social welfare issues that face the now more than 11 million (Age Concern, 2009) elderly people in UK. It is therefore acceptable that media institutions have reports, portrayals, and representations of these issues and much more of the elderly people themselves, with to some extent political, social, and economic motivations behind them.
To further study and resolve this argument, three selected articles from different UK broadsheet newspapers were analyzed. These were news articles about UK’s elderly people.
The first article analyzed was a recent one from The Times, ‘Elderly left at risk by NHS bidding wars to find cheapest care with reverse auctions,’ written by Rosemarie Bennett, published on June 01 this year. This article was basically about the economic strategies to thrift the palliative and dementia care for the elderly. In brief, the news reports on the efforts of NHS to find the cheapest care services for the elderly through online auction systems.
In the perspective of the bureaucratic provisions, and images of the government and its branches, this article might appear positive. However, since we are dealing with how the newspaper article (directly or indirectly) portrayed the elderly, this article mirrors a negative image of how the elderly people are treated today. The article showed how the government sidesteps into the convenient services, without ensuring the best quality of the health care services for the elderly. It showed the government’s willingness to sacrifice the population of the elderly for other purposes or budget allocations. Overall, the article presented a political and economic aspect of the elderly people’s welfare.
The second article studied was taken from The Independent, ‘Care of the elderly: Britain counts the cost of rise in dementia,’ written by Nina Lakhani, published on May 25, 2008. In connection with the first news article analyzed, this article was the problem behind the ‘solution’ posed by NHS. It reported the high costs of palliative and dementia care for the elderly people, as seen by the authorities.
Although the article seemed like focusing on the economic aspect of the issue, politics and power were rendered in the article in a very simplistic manner. The last two subheadings of the article emphasized the gap between the power and society. The stories of two old people illustrated the loss of power and vulnerability of the elderly people in UK. Although the stories were about how the two coped up with the high costs of care, and the provisions of health authorities, the problems were clearly manifested and raised up.
Hence, this article also implied the negative status of the elderly people, as the ones who are controlled by the power of the leaders and authorities. It furthered the helplessness and vulnerability that were supposedly eradicated by supposedly sustainable and quality-controlled health care provisions.
The third article studied was from The Daily Telegraph, ‘Elderly ‘addicted’ to Nintendo Wii at care home,’ written by Sophie Borland, published on September, 2007. Unlike the past two articles, this news article draws a positive appearance on how the elderly people were treated in one retirement home in Birmingham. The slug line of the news clearly explains what the article was about: technology, aged, and comfort. The article was basically about the use of advanced means of entertainment, such as Nintendo Wii, of the some elderly people of UK.
Although the article somewhat showed the discrepancy between the poor old people, and the rich (or insured) old people, it succeeded in defeating the known stratification of the population based on generations (or ages), It was clearly explained in the article how the technology affected their lifestyles and well-beings.
To top that, it was portrayed in the article how the elderly people can actually have means of showing and getting more strength, entertainment, and inspiration while flowing with the fast changes in technology and environment.
Print Media and the Elderly
Based on the content analyses conducted with the three selected articles and further reading, it was found out that the elderly people in UK are indirectly and directly portrayed by the print media in different situations and images depending upon issues and events currently happening, the angles and styles used, and probably the political motivations behind the articles.
The current issues and events that happen regarding the welfare of the elderly people in UK are, as much as other areas, reported by the mainstream news agencies or sometimes by respective non-government organizations serving these people. Supposedly, these events and issues are transparently and objectively reported to the public for mere information. The portrayal of the elderly people, in this case, now depends on what is really happening to them in their daily life and in a larger perspective.
However, these portrayals of reality may be amplified, distorted, or simply changed by the angle (subject of the story) used in the article, and the style of writing (comparison, analysis, description, analogy, etc.). These two aspects may at times change the reported event into a perception or portrayal like in article number one and two.
Motivations and aims behind an article, on the other hand gives a direct portrayal. For instance, a report of Age Concern most likely gives a representation of their goals as an organization serving the elderly.
In conclusion, the political, economic, and social issues concerning the elderly people in UK are portrayed in different newspapers and print publications in different news appearances and significance.
References:
Age Concern (2009) Ageing population [online] Available from <http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/8F9495C4E06641199CC67D13AE9A3035.asp> [06 June 2009]
Bennett, R. (2009) ‘Elderly left at risk by NHS bidding wars to find cheapest care with reverse auctions.’ The Times 01 June, 2009
Borland, C. (2007) ‘Elderly ‘addicted’ to Nintendo Wii at care home.’ The Daily Telegraph 14 Sept, 2007
Community Care (2008) Elderly People [online] Available from <http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/09/29/104087/elderly-people.html> [06 June 2009]
Help The Aged, We Will (2008) Education For Older People, Help The Aged Policy Statement 2008 [online] Available from <http://policy.helptheaged.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8E3F4DB6-3188-497F-9DF2-B0EA08670FCC/0/adulteducation250708.pdf> [06 June 2009]
Lakhani, N. (2008) ‘Care of the elderly: Britain counts the cost of rise in dementia.’ Independent 25 May, 2008
National Statistics (2008) Ageing [online] Available from <http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=949> [06 June 2009]