The Influence of Ageism in Public PolicyThe United States is ill-prepared to meet the needs of the aging baby boom generation. Nowhere is this more evident than in government policy, particularly on housing. Overall, American society has become complacent in the assumption that “existing programs were adopted to provide health insurance to older Americans; nutritional, legal, support and recreational services; accommodation; home repair; energy assistance; transportation; help finding a job; protection against dismissal; Public insurance for employer-sponsored pensions and special mental health programs” are sufficient to meet the needs of this country's elderly (Binstock, 2005, p. 73). Despite political rhetoric that portrays senior services as the last bastion of the American population subject to "draconian budget cuts," policymakers have systematically cut funding for programs that help older Americans and intentionally ignored practices discriminatory measures that directly affect quality of life. for older people (Gans, 2010). In fact, this student would argue that policymakers have made only a half-hearted effort to review existing programs benefiting older adults, particularly in the areas of housing and employment. Even more troubling is the covert acceptance of ageism in policy and the tendency to view programs that directly benefit older people as “budget deficit scapegoats,” according to Binstock (2005, p. 74). As the elderly population is expected to reach "68.5 million by 2050" (Folts and Yeatts, 1994, p. 6), policymakers and society will be forced not only to reexamine programs benefiting older adults, but also to tackle global stigma. attached with...... middle of paper ......11 from http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2011/assets/housing.pdf Schroeder, P. ( February 5, 2008). HUD's budget proposal includes reductions to CDBG and elimination of HOPE VI. Bond buyer, 32 years old. Retrieved April 23, 2011 from http://0-ehis.ebscohost.com.wncln.wncln.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&hid=20&sid=363f40eb-521b-4cc7-b57f-17742d2a6738. %40sessionmgr11Travis, L. (April 2010). Protecting older homeowners: reverse mortgages as a foreclosure intervention tool. Retrieved April 20, 2011, from http://academicarchive.snhu.edu/bitstream/handle/10474/1649/sced2010travis.pdf?sequence=2U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (July 14, 2010). The State of Fair Housing: Fair Housing Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2009, pp. 1-103. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved April 21, 2011 from http://www.hud.gov/content/releases/fy2009annual-rpt.pdf