How does a researcher on aging watch tonight's debut of ABC's latest reality dating show, "The Golden Bachelorette?"
With equal parts anticipation and apprehension.
Christopher Kaufmann, Ph.D., a member of the University of Florida Institute on Aging whose interests are focused on the intersection of aging, sleep, and health services, will sit in front of the television with his wife, attorney Kelly Kaufmann, to see if the show highlights the brighter side of successful aging.
The pair wrote a commentary last year about the show's predecessor, "The Golden Bachelor."
They worried that television has a history of too adeptly falling into stereotypical tropes about older adults, often portrayed as grumpy, out of touch, lost using new technology, and a drain on society's resources.
"Even though we've made great strides, we really do have a lot of work to do, and these television shows can play a big role in promoting negative stereotypes," Christopher Kaufmann said. "You see the harm done by messaging on TV. It becomes a reflection of society. It helps shape us."
