Unit 4 P4/M2/D2

There are many major theories of ageing that has been discovered throughout physiology and life experiences of others, I am going to be describing the continuity theory and the activity theory.

Photo from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disengagement_theory

Disengagement Theory:

This theory believes that aging is inevitable way in which a person disengages thus known as the disengagement theory, this theory believes in decreased interaction between the aging person and others in the social system he/she belongs to. The theory claims that it is natural and acceptable for older adults to depart from society this theory was created by Cumming and Henry in 1961 and it was the first theory of aging that had been developed.

As we get older things begin to change in our lives, when we have reached the elder lifestage things tend to slow down social wise as we become more fragile. This theory has been pointed out as being enforced on a person rather than them being apart of it freely. 

Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia (2007) Disengagement theory       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disengagement_theory (accessed: 9^th December 2015)

Photo from: http://discovermagazine.com/2007/dec/can-we-cure-aging

Activity Theory:

This theory is known as stating that elder people should disengage but also remain as active as they can. It is said that being active in some forms means they would not become completely isolated from society. This theory was established by Robert J. Havighurst in 1961. Its way of believing that this tool is powerful in influencing a person’s social attitude and well-being and how they feel about themselves in keeping relationships with others the same and even creating new relationships. It takes the view that the ageing process is delayed and the quality of life is enhanced when old people remain socially active.

M2: Discuss two major theories of ageing in relation to the development of the individual.

Bellow I will be discussing the disengagement and activity theory in relation to my individual Kehlani Parish, though my individual has not reached the elder lifestage I will be basing my information on what I have found in general and how it can possibly affect Kehlani in the future, whether she will choose to engage in activity or drift away from it.

Disengagement Theory:

This theory believes that people disengage and withdraw themselves from a social environment because as they age they have less opportunities. Within this theory individual who withdraw themselves believe to be better off in their lives without the stress from maintaining social relationships. This theory enables individuals to distance themselves it further suggests that society responds to the elder's disengagement with a sort of mutual recognition that the elder will soon pass and society must prepare to function in their absence. As such, the theory argues that it is natural and acceptable for older adults to withdraw from society.

Boundless, (2015), Disengagement Theory, https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/aging-18/the-functionalist-perspective-on-aging-128/disengagement-theory-721-9147/ (accessed: 20^th December 2015)

Many individuals believe that with this theory elder adults are distancing themselves from family and friends which will eventually workout worse for them as they will become isolated from the outside world.

The creators of the disengagement theory gave a basis for the reasoning of this theory with nine disengagement processes these are:

·         Postulate 1: Everyone expects death, and one's abilities will likely deteriorate over time. As a result, every person will lose ties to others in his or her society.

·         Postulate 2: Because individual interactions between people strengthen norms, an individual who has fewer varieties of interactions has greater freedom from the norms imposed by interaction. Consequently, this form of disengagement becomes a circular or self-perpetuating process.

·         Postulate 3: Because men have a centrally instrumental role and women a socioemotional one, disengagement differs between men and women.

·         Postulate 4: The individual's life is punctuated by ego changes. For example, aging, a form of ego change, causes knowledge and skill to deteriorate. However, success in an industrialized society demands certain knowledge and skill. To satisfy these demands, age-grading ensures that the young possess sufficient knowledge and skill to assume authority and the old retire before they lose their skills. This kind of disengagement is effected by the individual, prompted by either ego changes or the organisation—which is bound to organisational imperatives—or both.

·         Postulate 5: When both the individual and society are ready for disengagement, complete disengagement results. When neither is ready, continuing engagement results. When the individual is ready and society is not, a disjunction between the expectations of the individual and of the members of this social systems results, but engagement usually continues. When society is ready and the individual is not, the result of the disjunction is usually disengagement.

·         Postulate 6: Man's central role is work, and woman's is marriage and family. If individuals abandon their central roles, they drastically lose social life space, and so suffer crisis and demoralisation unless they assume the different roles required by the disengaged state.

·         Postulate 7: This postulate contains two main concepts.

·         (a) Readiness for disengagement occurs if:

·         An individual is aware of the shortness of life and scarcity of time.

·         Individuals perceive their life space decreasing.

·         A person loses ego energy.

·         (b) Each level of society grants individuals permission to disengage because of the following:

·         Requirements of the rational-legal occupational system in an affluent society

·         The nature of the nuclear family

·         The differential death rate

·         Postulate 8: Fewer interactions and disengagement from central roles lead to the relationships in the remaining roles changing. In turn, relational rewards become more diverse, and vertical solidarities are transformed to horizontal ones.

·         Postulate 9: Disengagement theory is independent of culture, but the form it takes is bound by culture.

Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia (2007) Disengagement theory       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disengagement_theory (accessed: 28^th December 2015)

This theory was put in place when men had a higher status then women did, it would be known today that many may disagree with how Henry and Cumming created their theory distinguishing the way the theory should work for males opposed to females. 

I believe that with this theory Kehlani may start to distance herself from friends once she reaches the age of retirement, this means Kehlani may isolate herself from others and even live in an area that is secluded. However, Kehlani is very active as she is a performing artist and may choose to surround herself with people, it may also be out of Kehlani’s depth because people who love her will want to be involved and engaged in her life. 

Activity Theory:

The activity theory of aging proposes that older adults are happiest when they stay active and maintain social interactions, for example my individual Kehlani would be believed to be more active within her older lifestage and find ways in which will make her happier by surrounding herself with friends. These activities, especially when meaningful, help the elderly to replace lost life roles after retirement and, therefore, resist the social pressures that limit an older person's world. The theory assumes a positive relationship between activity and life satisfaction. Activity theory reflects the functionalist perspective that an individual develops in middle age should be maintained in later years. The theory predicts that older adults that face role loss will substitute former roles with other alternatives.

Boundless, (2011) Activity Theory, https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/aging-18/the-functionalist-perspective-on-aging-128/activity-theory-722-9146/ (accessed: 21^st December 2015)

Many people believe this theory to work well with elder adults and that their lifestyle needs will be fulfilled throughout. Kehlani may develop new hobbies and talents as she ages, I believe Kehlani will remain active as she ages because she has no illness or disease that will disallow her from taking part in physical activities, however due to Kehlani being a premature baby she may suffer with certain things later on for example she may develop bipolar disorder and even serious mental health problems. With the knowledge that Kehlani has she may explore and travel around the world as she does during adulthood as a performing artist, many musical artists still perform up until late adulthood or until their bodies can no longer take the extensive work.

My individual Kehlani may also go along with the continuity theory as she is most likely to continue and peruse her career as a performer as she believes she is destined for it. I also agree that Kehlani will most likely not change her way of living and socialising due to ageing norms as she is a very wild spirited and free character. The external structure of an individual, such as Kehlani consists of relationships and social roles, and it supports the maintenance of a stable self-concept and lifestyle. This theory is what I believe Kehlani will mostly engage with because she is a very active individual. As she ages Kehlani may develop new hobbies and ways to live an active lifestyle. Being active allows us to develop in many ways physically and socially, for elder individuals there are plenty ways in which they can stay active for example, there are social clubs available for older age people who may feel less active within their life stage.

D2: Evaluate the influence of two major theories of ageing on health and social care provision.

For this task I will be evaluating my two chosen theories which are the Disengagement and the Activity theory on health and social care provision. As we become elders we begin to take different paths which may apply us to follow a theory of ageing such as the ones I have stated above. All individual’s become elderly and they will deal with their age differently, some choose to stay active and involved in many activities whereas others choose to disengage from all social activities. Both of these theories have different views on how an individual should age however there are many ways an elder individual can stay active socially with clubs that are provided for them. All of these aspects are extremely important for elderly people to keep mentally and physically healthy.

Both theories that I have mentioned will be influenced within a health and social care provision as there are many services available for older age individuals which allows them to be active or even disengage themselves depending on the way they choose. There are many ways in which elder individuals can stay active and social with others, there are services which provide this such as:

·         

•     Physical Therapy: For those who need extra assistance due to functional pain or if they are recovering from injury or illnesses and for those experiencing chronic pain, physical therapy can help relieve pain and restore physical functions such as flexibility, strength, balance and coordination.

SeniorLiving(2011), Physical Therapy for Seniors, http://www.seniorliving.org/healthcare/physical-therapy/ (accessed: 5^th January)

·        

•       Nursing assistance: This is when elder individuals are unable to solely care for themselves and may not have family around to help, an nursing assistant will help them with their daily needs.

These type of services help elderly individuals with daily chores so that they can stay healthy and active thus it will work for someone who goes along with the activity theory.                                                                            (Photo from: http://www.sustainingthepersonwithin.org.uk/Images2/Rayner%20House.jpg)

Effective day services can play a vital role in supporting individuals and in maintaining their contact with the community. Day centres are valued for making a real difference to older people’s and carers’ lives in the following areas:

• ·         Social interaction
• ·         A friendly environment
• ·          Carer relief
• ·          Maintenance of independence
• ·         Person-centeredness
• ·          Positive framing of life
• ·         Involvement in decision-making

Age UK(2011),Effectiveness of day services, http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/For-professionals/Research/Day_services_evidence%20_%20of_effectiveness_October_2011.pdf?dtrk=true (accessed: 5^th January 2016)

Day centres play a huge role in an individual’s social isolation and the way in which they live. Day centres provide people with an outlet that they may not have at home, for instance my individual Kehlani may pursue a day centre if she has distanced herself from others as a way to become more interactive and socially active in her community. I also believe that when Kehlani becomes an elder she will be persuaded to stay active and not disengage from social activities, however if Kehlani was to socially disengage the interaction she has with others will decrease and she may feel like she does not belong. These centres also help people who may feel lonely and isolated from the world feel more important and involved in society. Even if physical quality of life is poor, older people can experience good emotional wellbeing. Social interaction is particularly important to successful ageing.

Rather than moving into a long-term care facility as they age, many older adults prefer to stay at home for as long as possible. This may be the right choice for the individual if they only need minor assistance with daily activities and enjoy a close network of nearby family and friends.

Many elderly individuals tend to disengage from their community due to health issues and diseases. There are only few charities that help elder individuals, one of these charities is called Age UK, this charity was formed the 25^th of February 2009 this is a large charity formed to help elderly individual’s.

Age UK(2014),What we do, http://www.ageuk.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/ accessed: 5^th January 2016)

The majority of elder individuals remain in their home and in their community where they will likely be supported by friends, family and social services. Some elder individuals also tend to move into supported homes which are sheltered. All services for elderly Individuals will provide them with a safe and well respected environment and offer individual’s quality assurance. Older individuals should always have the choice to how they want to live, whether it be to follow the activity, theory, the disengagement theory or any other theory, valued service provisions will never alter or attempt to change an individuals desire.