This decline is not related to acute disease but to the adverse effects of modern therapies and current hospital practices, designed for younger people. (Huang, Larente, Morais, 2011) Why is the health of the elderly important? The goal of the Healthy People 2020 initiative is to “improve the health, function and quality of life of older adults.” (Healthy People, 2015) Regardless of age, everyone is a unique individual, with the same range of values, gifts and flaws as any other person. Young nurses must help older people maintain their autonomy for as long as possible by avoiding doing things for them that they could do for themselves. As nurses, our ultimate goal should be to expand training and research opportunities in this area and eliminate ageism in all aspects. “In the past, institutional settings such as hospitals and care centers often treated the elderly as objects rather than as independent and dignified people. It is time for nurses to recognize and address ageism by challenging prevailing negative attitudes and stereotypes and reinforcing the reality of aging as they care for older adults in all care settings.” (Korem, 2013, p.