Elder rights

With the rapid growth of population of older people globally,[6] there has been international efforts to focus on issues associated with ageing and protection of the elderly in the past decade.

[7] As a result, ageism is recognized and studied as a global issue, an example of which is a survey of tens of thousands of people in more than 50 countries that revealed the majority of the participants as having moderate to high ageist attitudes.

[12] Issues far beyond simple financial security became the focus – Maggie Kuhn, angered over her mandatory retirement at 65, launched the Gray Panthers in 1970.

[13] Today, the Grey Panthers leads the Stakeholder Group on Aging, an organization it co-founded, which aims to create an international network of older persons and activists.

The law was amended in 1972 to add Supplemental Security Income, which provides cash assistance to individuals, 65 years of age or older.

Worsening chronic illnesses, cognitive impairment, and limitations in functional status are all examples of changes that occur later in life, that can increase an older adult's level of dependency on a caregiver.

One of such protection is the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, which advocates for the rights of adults in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other residential settings.