Five older women were interviewed about their relationships, particularly those with health professionals. The taped interviews were analyzed according to Colaizzi's method and four themes emerged. They were: older women do not matter any more; older women have no legitimate complaints; professionals who care about their work, care about me; and older women are worthy of being treated with honesty and respect. Findings indicated that there may be more negative stereotyping of older women by health professionals than by members of the public. Implications of this study include the need to: promote the concept of health co-existing with illness in health education; recognize the connection between personal feelings and professional responses to older women; and devise strategies to enhance positive attitudes and respect for all people, regardless of age.