No, not cynical. This is similar to what is going on in California,  which has a bill that would punish with a fine and jail if you use the wrong pronoun for a transgendered person. They specify...are you ready...transgendered nursing home patients. No doubt for the reasoning you describe.  Once they get that through no doubt other ages will follow. 

One would think it's hard enough to get good workers in that industry without the fear of jail. And if it were a serious problem one would assume that the quaint practice of firing a problem employee would suffice. So now we have folks who think words should be punished by the state, and using the elderly to get started.