Engage vs Marginalize

The one truth that has crystalized with me while working with older adults as a nurse and as an artist is that the longer we live, the more unique we become.  In a material world, that would make us more valuable, but the reverse seems to happen; we marginalize our elders.
The western world has created a society that is focused on production. Once you no longer contribute then you have become almost superfluous.  Even worse, you are likely seen as a drain to the economy….
There are positive theories on ageing that see life as a journey of personal challenges that can lead us through the developmental stages in life; each contributing to an accrued personal wisdom.  Lars Tornstam’s  theory of gerotranscendence is one of those theories…. http://www.atpweb.org/jtparchive/trps-43-11-02-166.pdf
Could we facilitate a positive awareness of aging by engaging our elders rather than marginalizing them?