I have respect for the elderly, but not any more than I would have for anyone else. However, people need to earn my respect, I don't just hand it over to them, no matter how old they happen to be. I feel that you have to give respect to get respect.
I used to volunteer at a nursing home and I absolutely loved listening to all the stories that they had to tell. They were so interesting. They were also so nice. I would go in there for a couple of hours a week and play bingo with them. They liked it SO much. They like when a younger person talks and hangs out with them. From psychology classes, they like it because it makes them feel young again.
Just remember, if you ever feel like you don't want to deal with an older person, think about everything that they have been through and all the wonderful stories that they could tell you about.
I wish that my great-great grandparents were still alive. I believe that they came over here from Germany, Poland, and Belgium. Imagine the kind of stories that they would be able to tell me about.