Ageism is a social determinant of health that affects older adults' health and health care experiences through mechanisms both structural and individual (Chang et al, 2020). Images and cultural narratives of aging circulating through the United States--which predominantly portray aging as decline--are key contributors to ageist attitudes, and particularly to internalized ageism among older adults themselves. Health humanities offer us unique tools with which to recognize, and to counter, problematic images and narratives of aging and their embodied consequences. In this talk, we'll explore changing historical visualizations of the life course alongside contemporary cultural narratives of aging to identify how we can all think more critically about the ways growing oder affects quality of like, and how clinicians can help older patients shape more empowering personal narrative software aging.

Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds provides a monthly forum for teaching participants to resolve cases based on the best ethical practices. Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds also provides information on any legislative changes that occur so that clinicians are ready to implement them. The Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities is the only clinical ethics center in Wisconsin. The faculty are leaders in clinical ethics and set the agenda for clinical ethics practice in Southeastern Wisconsin.

 

Key Words: Bioethics, Clinical Ethics, Health Care Ethics, Medical Ethics, Medical Humanities