226 Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 13, Suppl. 2, 2015 Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 13, Suppl. 2, pp 226-231, 2015 Copyright © 2015 Trakia University Available online at: http://www.uni-sz.bg ISSN 1313-7050 (print) doi:10.15547/tjs.2015.s.02.049 ISSN 1313-3551 (online) AGEISM – ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE HEALTHCARE T. Paskaleva*, Zh. Tencheva, K. Kostov Department “Healthcare” , Branch Haskovo of the Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria ABSTRACT Ageing as a phase of human life is connected with a number of specific problems, originating from the natural alternations in the physical, psychical, social and economic status. During the past years the issue of the age discrimination is getting more and more actual and pressing, significant and also a barrier against the shaping of a tolerant social atmosphere. The phenomenon „ageism“ places its challenges before the contemporary educati on, and it requires a profound research and application of possibilities for its overcoming via adequate educational programs and models. The aim of the current research is to be studied the arrangements and the stereotypes in the students' attitude towards the elderly people. In the research, which was conducted, participated 70 students from the specialty "Nurse" in Branch Haskovo of the Trakia University. The results of this research give us a good reason in the training and education of the students to be applied different interactive techniques and approaches, which present positive role models of ageing and form new types of attitude towards the elderly generation. Key words: ageism, age discrimination, elderly people, students, healthcare INTRODUCTION In the last decades the world’s demographic panorama connected with ageing of the population has an alarming character, including the long-term prospective. According to the WHO two billion people will be over 60 years old in 2050, which is three times more than their number in the 2000. Bulgaria also suffers the strikes of the demographic crisis. In 2025 every 1 out of 5 Bulgarians will be aged over 65. In 1990 only 1 out of 13 was over 65. [1]. Ageing, as a phase of the human life is connected with a number of specific problems, coming from the natural changes in the physical, psychical, social and economic status. During the past years the issue of the age discrimination is getting more and more actual, significant and also a barrier in the formation of a tolerant society. _____________________________ *Correspondence to: Tanya Paskaleva, Department “Healthcare” Branch Haskovo of the Trakia University, Bulgaria, paskaleva666@abv.bg Over 40 years ago Robert Butler for the first time defines the notion ‘ageism’, as a “process of systematic stereotyping and discrimination against a certain group of people, just because they are old”. Later on other authors discuss and research this morbid issue, and they present it and interpret it really on a large scale. This gives the possibility to be featured some characteristic of the ageism elements - prejudiced viewpoints to the elderly people and the ageing process; discriminating practices against the elderly people and institutional practices and policies that support stereotypes towards the elderly people [2, 3]. In this connection the analysis of the ‘ageism’ assumes understanding of the essence and the links between the stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination. The stereotypes belong to the sphere of the mind and are not necessarily negative. They are a result from inscribing identical characteristics of a person from a definite group, irrespective of the existing differences between the members of this