The ageism hook is reasonably novel and intuitively appealing. Anyone who has taught the social construction of aging understands the power of ageist assumptions-assumptions that tells us that all old people are useless, wrinkled, forgetful, unproductive members of society (despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary). These assumptions profoundly affect the day-t-day reality of being an older person in this country. But ageism also allows us to better understand systems of inequality in our society. Age-like race, class, gender, and the like-is a socially constructed dimensions along which privileges and disadvantages are institutionalized. Furthermore, age articulates with each of these dimensions to determine people’s access to goods and services.

One interesting aspect of the aging process is that negative perceptions and stereotypes also affect the elderly and may even decrease their ability to perform everyday tasks. One example of this is with memory. When people are continually told their memory will decline as they age, it

Greene, D. “Student perceptions of aging and disability as influenced by service learning.” Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics. Vol.15. No. 3. 1998, 39-55.

There are programs designed to help bridge the communication gap between the young and the elderly. Because stereotypes are often based on preconceptions that are not grounded in fact, one study has revealed that student perceptions of aging and disability can be influenced by service learning. This is only natural since percept