Because there's a big difference between having empathy for another's pain and actually understanding what it's like, even to a slight degree. For example, I'm severely visually impaired; I would not expect a deaf person to truly understand what that's like, just as I don't understand what a deaf person's life is like; that doesn't stop either of us from having empathy for the other though.

If this helps people empathize who otherwise wouldn't... isn't that good? Can we just not be glad that people can gain some more understanding of what the elderly go through?

Ok, I realize that came out as quite negative/sarcastic, not meant to offend anyone. I stand by the overall comment though. You don't have to have the extent of the experience another person has had to relate/empathize.