chapter 15, week 8

Chapter 15, week 8

Chapter fifteen deals with politics, policies, and programs.  “Approximately ninety percent of Americans over age fifty are registered to vote, compared with an overall national figure of less than seventy five percent” (p.408).  This gives the elderly a large amount of power when they vote as a bloc.  “In all recent elections; older people are more likely to vote than younger ones” (p.408).  Their politics are fairly balanced between the Democratic and Republican parties.  The chapter mentions six organizations that represents older people that are successful and growth.  AARP which is “the premier lobbyist for causes primarily impacting older people” (p.410).   Not only is it nonprofit but it is also nonpartisan.  The National committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare is an organization that “is concerned about the solvency of the Social Security Trust Funds” (p.411).  Social Security and Medicare benefits are to be protected and improved by the professional lobbyists that work for the organization.  The National Council of Senior Citizens purpose is to push the government “to get things done on behalf of the aged” (p.411).  The National Council on the Aging is headquartered in Washington, D.C., sponsors conferences and seminars, publishes on the subject of aging; and funds different special interest groups.  The National Caucus and Center on Black Aged is an organization that aims “improve the quality and length of life for senior African Americans” (p.412).  Equality and access issues are concerns of this organization.  The Gray Panthers is a political group that strives to put “the needs of people over profit, responsibility over power and democracy over institutions” (p.413). 

Chapter 15 weekly blog

The threat of cutbacks in government program's exists in the United States and most Western countries. It will grow larger in the next 20 years as the global boomers reach age 65. The social welfare for the elderly people have often been taken for granted. Those who are affected responded by joining forces and asserting their need to improve their situation. The depression had wiped out the pensions ans savings of millions, leaving elders in the most desperate poverty of any age group. Then came the Townsend plan. Named after the retired physician, Francis E. Townsend, who headed the program the Townsend plan was organized through local clubs. ( OAA) is designed to alter state and local priorities to ensure that older people's needs are represented in social services allocations. This program helped expanded program's. their are other program's and services that help the elderly. The political power of elders is stronger than ever before, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. President Reagan and Bush both played a part in the seniority system in Congress insurs power to elder members. I really feel sorry for my children and their children, because by the time they reach the age of the baby boomers their will be an uncertain outcome for their later years of living. I hope they have a social movement like that of the Townsend plan or the Ham and Eggs movement.

Reference: AGING the individual and Society Susan M. Hillier Georgia M. Barrow

Blog 8

Chapter 14 Review

     This was a very informative chapter.  It covered things about death and dying that many people would not have thought of.  According to Hillier and Barrow, "facing death, dealing with the fact of death in a rational way, and exerting control over the manner of one's dying are all difficult situations in a society that denies death" (2011).  Death is not something that everyone wants to talk about in a regular conversation because many people are afraid of it because of the unexpected.  It's like being lead into a dark room blind-folded and not knowing if the person leading you are taking you to the right place or leading you to some unknown place, and you have no control over where they are taking you.  You can do one of two things: continue to let them lead you, or take off the blind-fold and do not follow.  We all have a fear of something, but everyone fears death.
     The process does not have to be scary because we can control what happens up until that point.    "Fear of death is a human condition-we struggle for our life, and for the lives of others, and we desperately desire to avoid unknowns" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).  Things that people fear about death include, "fear of pain and suffering, fear of the unknown, fear of nonexistence, fear of eternal punishment, fear of loss of control, and fear of what will become of loved ones" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).  If we live life to the fullest and live everyday as if it were our last, then when the last day comes, we will be ready for it. 

Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen Discussion Blog

This chapter  how elderly individuals lives are impacted by politics, office, employment, and other issues that they may face, as well as, how the elderly individuals involvement affects these things. Up until the 1970’s seniors were viewed “… as powerless, dependent, slow and unenthusiastic (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). But after they did many protests and sit ins societies view switched and they realized that they are not what they once thought.  With the right to vote and hold office elderly individuals are having a huge impact on how our society is run.

With the help of aging individuals there are now political associations set up to assist the elderly population as they such as, “ American Association of Retired Persons, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the National Council of Senior Citizens, the National Council of Aging, the National Caucus and Center on the Black Aged, and the Gray Panthers (Hillier and Barrow, 2011)”.These are all set up to help ensure things such as social security, housing, medical care, and make the lives of the individuals as comfortable as possible.

However with all of these political associations set up to improve the lives of elderly individuals, comes with a negative view from certain younger generations. This group has a view of “generational equity” which is, the younger population will suffer because of the older population’s unprecedented size and affluence. They believe that the older generation is only looking out for themselves and not concerned what will happen to the other generations in the midst of it. However, the future is uncertain and no one individual can determine what will be the effects of what our society is doing today.

Weekly Blog Review: Chapter 15 Politics, Policies, and Programs

This chapter gave me a lot of insight on the politics of aging. I am not one to really discuss politics and argue about them. Although there are some opinions that I do have, I keep them to myself because there's no point in aruging when it's someones opinion and you cannot change it. But with older people I find it different because they need to be taken care of and as comfortable as possible before that pass away. And for people who have just retired they need to be taken care of as well and not be looked over just because they're reaching their prime of life.

This chapter goes into politics, policies, and programs which is basically just dealing with governement. the categories under this is early rumblings, senior power today, The Older Americans Act and Other Programs, two programs not funded by the OAA, activism and advocacy, the equity issue, and epilogue: a new generation of older adults.

The category I found the most interesting is "The Older Americans Act and Other Programs," because of the subcategories under it, meals and nutrition, friendly visting and telephone reassurance, employment, and other service, were all about helping the elderly and not acting like their going to die any day and are not important. "The Older Americans Act (OAA) is desinged to alter state and local priotities to ensure that older peoples needs are represented in social services allocations. It was created  to from a nation network for comprehensive planning and delivery of aging services" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 413). So because of this act older people are a priority and treated like one and not like they're nothing.

This will help in the future for me because I will be able to hopefully help my older clients because of this act, such as employment, getting basic needs, things for them to do during the day, and so forth.

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 402-422. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH.

Chapter 15

This chapter covers the topics of politics, policies and programs for the elder population.  It was interesting to learn of the many political associations which represent older Americans.  So many of the groups lobby on the behalf of older adults in order to provide them with benefits such as Medicare, social security, or have a platform to promote equal rights for the elderly.  This chapter also discusses policies that have been put in place to assist elderly persons in the areas of programs which address meals and nutrition.  One act in particular is The Older Americans Act.   This act ensures that older people’s needs are represented in social service allocations (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).  This act has 6 major sections with outline the objectives and intentions of the act.  These sections include adequate income, good physical and health health, suitable housing at reasonable cost, a meaningful existence, full restorative services for those who require instructional care, equal employment opportunities, and retirement with dignity (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).  Another program outlined and discussed in this chapter which this learner feels is especially important and valuable is the Foster Grandparent Program.  This programs pairs low income older adults with troubled, disabled, or hospitalized children (Hillier & Barrow, 2011) The grandparent volunteers 15 to 40 hours per week and serve as role models, mentors or friends to disadvantaged children.  This program not only provides a disadvantage child with the attention and love that can make a difference in their live, it also gives the grandparent the opportunity to feel they have a purpose in life, to feel needed and to contribute to the lives of special needs children. 

 

 

Hillier, S., & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society.9th ed.California: WADSWORTH.

Blog 8 Chapter 15

           This chapter covers the issues of elders in politics and the impact they have on office and other certain issues as well as employment and equity. As it pertains to voting, “Approximately 90 percent of Americans over age 50 are registered to vote, compared with an overall national figure of less than 75 percent” (Hillier &Barrow, 2011, p. 408). Older people are neither more nor less conservative than younger people and their parties are balanced more equally (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).

            Holding office, as well as voting, is another way of showing political power among elders. There are no mandatory retirement ages from offices in congress etc. which allows them to continue representation for their group of older peers (Hiller & Barrow, 2011). As it pertains to representation of older people, interest groups representing older Americans have increased in number and political effectiveness over the past few decades (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 409). Such interest groups include American Association of Retired Persons, National Council of Senior Citizens, The Gray Panthers, and many others that advocate for senior citizens rights and representation (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).

            “The Older Americans Act (OAA) is designed to alter state and local priorities to ensure that older people’s needs are represented in social service allocations” (Hiller & Barrow, 2011, p. 413). The OAA intends to benefit elders in areas such as their health, income, housing, opportunities, and retirement. Hillier and Barrow (2011) explain that no public service program is without criticism, but these programs are allowing our older generations to have more of a voice than past generations as well as more opportunities. “The most exciting part of the future, however, is that there now is a new generation of older people” (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 420). This chapter sums up the entire content of the text, it shows us that older people are living longer and making more of an impact on the younger generations. Due to the increased life spans, it is crucial that this group of people are better understood and heard, along with that goes the importance of equal opportunity for them regardless of their age.

Ch. 14, Death and Dying

Our society in the United States is afraid of death. As Hillier and Barrow (2011) state, “Have you ever used the word died and had the uncomfortable feeling that those with whom you were talking considered the word too direct and in bad taste? “Passed away” or “passed on” might be the preferred phrase—but not “dead”.” Why is dead such a dirty word today? The truth is that as a society, we are afraid of it. It seems dark and lonely. There are so many negative things involved with it that it is, in fact, a dirty word. It makes people flinch as if you cursed. I believe as social workers we need to break down this barrier. Especially in hospice where death is being dealt with daily. It is easier for someone to accept what is happening to their loved one if you use those words. While they may seem harsh at first, they begin the pathway to acceptance. Now this does not mean that we should embrace death with open arms, death is a very natural thing to be scared of. Hillier and Barrow (2011) state, “Fear of death is a normal human condition—we struggle for our life, and for the lives of others, and we desperately desire to avoid unknowns. But are people more fearful, or less fearful, at different ages?” They go on to say that there are different factors besides age that can account for this fear. Hiller and Barrow (2011), “Most observers and philosophers agree that fear of death is innate in all individuals, regardless of age, and that it provides direction for life’s activities”. As I mentioned before, I think it’s up to social workers to help people understand and handle this fear.

CH 15 Reflection

The dedication to expanding the role of social workers in politics and public policy making is the forefront topic I believe. From nearly the beginning of the profession, social workers have been called on to be active in politics.  The future seeks to break new ground and expand our role in politics. It has two goals: The first is to increase the number of social workers in elected office. The second goal is to "push the envelope" on what is moral, legal and ethical for all social workers to do, especially direct service social workers, to improve the political empowerment of their clients. The importance of these new endeavors is very striking to me.

Good social service policy requires special knowledge and expertise. Today, most public policy makers have no direct experience in social service work and as a result they lack firsthand knowledge. Helping professionals, or for that matter clients and consumers, would bring needed knowledge and experience to public policy making. Another reason for political involvement is imbedded in the social change/social reform mission that is at the heart of the social work profession. Politicians can change policy that will either help or hurt clients; therefore social workers are obligated to be among those who are making policy. There was a lot of concern that social workers should not be the "handmaidens" of psychiatrists in the mental health field. We social workers have come to dominate the mental health field. I do not want today's social workers to be the "handmaidens" of politicians and we will be unless we agree that some of us should run for office, get elected and serve.

Most importantly social workers know how to learn what people need and how to get it for them. We can do all of these things because we are trained to assess people, situations, communities and organizations. We learn active listen and translate people's statements into concrete plans of action. We know how to engage people in focused action, advocate for the interests of the disadvantaged and vulnerable. We understand group dynamics and how to use them and are culturally sensitive and respectful.

Blog #9 Chapter 15

Blog #9 Chapter 15

This chapter is about Politics, Policies, and Programs. In the past there have been social movements such as Townsend Plan and Ham and Eggs movement (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). The elderly come in numbers now and can make a difference because of how many elderly participate in voting or any other political event (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). An example as a strong association due to elderly being powerful is the American Association of Retired Person (Hillier and Barrow, 2011).

The most interesting part this learner has noticed in Chapter 15, is that a new generation of older adults is rising. Older people are living longer and becoming noticed to society (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). Hillier and Barrow discuss in this chapter that the amount of money put into health, education, nutrition, and socialization for the elderly has improved the quality of life (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). Everyone can agree that the future is unknown and poverty has grown in the United States because of the recession (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). It is ultimately up to each person to help make the future easier and comfortable for mankind as we grow. The difference of then and now, is that there is more information out there about living longer and how to be healthy (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). The elderly population work longer and can quit just to work a couple of years later (Hillier and Barrow, 2011).

 

Hillier, S., & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society.9th ed.California: WADSWORTH.

Blog 8 Death & Dying

Death and Dying is a traumatic experience that will occur in ones life, even if the death or dying is expected.  According to the authors " Death is on of the few certainties of life... no one has yet escaped death permanently". (Hillier & Barrow). Most people would feel uncomfortable talking about death or dying, they seem to think that if they talk about death or dying that it will occur just by discussing it.
The fear of death is a normal process of lifes cycle, we were born to live to die and for most that is overwhelming. Now with the Hospice and Pallialtive Care movenment most are chooing embrace death and dying in a more relaxe way, this is were the social worker plays an important role in the patients lives. Now with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Social Worker assist the patients in vary of ways, social workers have been part of hispice care teams and are now becoming more integrated into palliative care. At the heart of hospice and palliative care is the belief that each of us has the right to die pain free and with dignity and family will receive the necessary support.(NHPCO). Social Worker can address  health issues, the end of life care approaches. Death and Dying can be truely a peaceful journey home.              

Blog 8 Ch. 13

I am choosing to discuss chapter thirteen which discusses woman and ethnic groups in America. This chapter was interesting to me because it opened my eyes to all the struggles that woman and different ethnicities go through, even in todays modern society. From jobs to poverty, there is so much that I did not know was going on and so much that women are going through.

As for the women topic as a whole, it is crazy how many women are being discriminated against, in the work place, and in everyday society. According to the book, "women are among the most poor in the United States" (Hillier and Barrow, 2007). This is shocking to me considering that we have equal rights now for many many years. With that being said,  this is a reason that over fifty percent of women who are sixty-five and older are on welfare. This is a shocking statistic to hear because it should not be that way, that number is way to high. 

As for ethnicities in America it is still unequal and discrimination is happening all over the country. To me it seems that it is in the older generations to be more discriminatory of different races, because that is the generation that they grew up in. With that said, the older generation is discriminated against daily, it is a sad thing to see happening to elders of different races and ethnicities. This chapter really opened my eyes to all the bad that goes on with women and different ethnicities. 

Hillier, S.M. and Barrow, G.M. (2007). Aging, the  individual and society. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Blog #8 Chapter 13 Women and Ethnic Groups

Blog Chapter 13 Women and Ethnic Groups

This learner chose chapter 13 to review because it is about women and ethnic groups. This chapter is about women later in life and how they survive or fight for survival. It has always been know that women do not make as much as men in the workplace (Hillier and Barrow, 2007). Women as they grow older, there are certain things that help and hurt them as they grow into old age. Two areas of struggle for women are finances and the double standard of aging (Hillier and Barrow, 2007).

As for financial status, women are among the most poor in the United States (Hillier and Barrow, 2007). As a woman, this learner finds this appalling. This learner has learned to speak up and ask for more money at work when the work backs up the pay. It also states that more than 50% of women 65 and older would live in poverty if not for social security (Hillier and Barrow, 2007).

According to Hillier and Barrow, “double standard of living suggest that the standard of aging for a woman that progressively destroys her sense of beauty and self-worth, whereas for men it is less wounding” (Hillier and Barrow, 2007). Women’s appearance is a socially intense standard and changes in the a women’s body (Hillier and Barrow, 2007). The culture advertises that being skinny and young is the only way to be beautiful and anything else is not. Learning to stay young and flawless is something to learn from birth to death for women.

 

 

Hillier, S.M. and Barrow, G.M. (2007). Aging, the individual and society. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

  

Chapter 13 Women and Ethnic Groups

This chapter covers women and ethnic groups.  Financial status is an area covered within the chapter.   Women are considered the most poor in the United States.  According to (Shaker, 2006) women earn on average 76 percent less than men, which results in having less money to invest that men do.  They also have lower retirement incomes as well.  Women also face a double standard in aging.  When a women ages, her sense of beauty and self-worth diminishes.  Throughout the life of a woman, there is a lot of pressure to preserve a youthful appearance and there is an emphasis is staying attractive.  Many women will go to whatever lengths are necessary in an attempt to preserve their looks.   Elder African American women face issues such as living in substandard housing.  They are also more likely than whites to live in public housing and experience health care problems.  Many of these elders lack the resources for adequate health care throughout their lives which can result in lower life expectancy rates.  The Hispanic population also has a high rate of living below the poverty level, suffer from inadequat4e health care, have high rates of illiteracy, and lower occupational levels.  Ethnic elders across the board suffer from inequalities in America.  Many face obstacles such as poverty and having limited access to health care.  They may have language and cultural barriers which make it difficult to adjust to living in the United States and their socioeconomic status is lower than their white counter parts



Hillier, S.M. and Barrow, G.M. (2007). Aging, the  individual and society. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Weekly Reflection: Chapter 14 Death and Dying

I found this chapter very interesting. I'm not sure why, since it is one of the scariest subjects to talk about these days. It seems like more and more people are afraid to die these days. Of course it is understandable because none of us know what will happen whenever we do pass on. There are so many theories, basically it is whatever you want to believe. Hillier and Barrow (2011) state, "Fear of death is a normal human condition - we struggle for our life, and for the lives of tohers, and we desperately desire to avoid unknowns" (p. 376). This chapter goes into a bunch of depth about death and dying, and put it in a very blunt manner. The first part talks about a death-denying society saying that people do not like the word "died," but prefer to use the term "passed away" or "passed" on. I understand this completely I feel if I am telling someone about someones passing, "died" is too much of a "straight-forward" term. It then goes into the fear of death which is a big issue with society today. People are not sure what is going to happen so they choose to live in fear or just avoid the subject all together. Next, the text goes into living fully until death and under that are the subcategories of the life review stages of grief which include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Next it has the care of the dying in hospitals, then a matter of choice, informed consent of treatment, funerals, facing and preparing for death, and bereavement.

The most interesting part of the chapter to me was the "Fear of Death" categorey. I knew that everybody had a fear of death I just did not know all the different types of fears. Hillier and Barrow (2011) state in the text, "The fear of death is understiood in terms of specific fears that dying people express. Some people have many, if not all, of these fears. For some, one particular fear becomes hauntin, dominating their dying process" (p. 378). The specific fears they talk about are fear of pain and suffering, fear of the unknown, fear of nonexistence, fear of eternal punishment, fear of loss of control, and fear of what will become of loved ones.

I believe what could help me from this chapter in my future is working with "The Matter of Choice" described in the book such as hospice, reframing the craft of dying, right to die, advance directives, suicide, and assisted suicide. After volunteering and "shadowing" a social worker in a nursing home. She had to deal with most of every single one of these in the nursing home with the patients and residents. So it's only inevitable that if I go into the geriatric feild, I will too.

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 373-401. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH.

Weekly Reflection Chapter 13

   Chapter 13 touched on the issues that many women and minorities face in the United States not only throughout the duration of their entire lives but also, as they age and become elderly. Many of the issues they face during their lifetime can have lasting impressions on their ability to live financially stable or comfortable, afford quality health care, live in adequate housing, social interactions, or having enough resources to meet basic needs. All of these factor's can also contribute to an individual's life expectancy. Dealing with high amounts of stress and inadequate resources can lead to depression, anxiety, and a lack of will to care for one's own self. Women tend to face what the text described as a dual or double standard for aging. Not only must they deal all of the previous issues, but also their own concerns about their appearance or level of attraction to others, because the media and society pressure women to look a certain way, this often adds to the issues they must cope with.
    The chapter also discussed the rise of the minority group in the near future and the patterns and needs we must address in order to meet the special needs of its members. It is important to educate ourselves about each of the subgroups culture, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, and values so that we individualize the person's make up a "general category" and work at eliminating a cookie cutter approach to meet everyone's needs.
    This is particularly important to the future of student social workers because, we will be working with many of these individuals in our future practice settings and in order to be effective we must truly understand, empathize, and be considerate of our clients background to be able to assist in meeting their needs. I found it interesting to know that in our culture we may feel like we are helping and being attentive to a patient, when in fact we may be directly offending them if we are not culturally sensitive to their customs and beliefs. As a social worker we must be knowledgeable and competent because it could be easy for us to make a small but serious mistake that could have a lasting impression on our ability to provide quality services.

Reference:
 Hillier, S.M. and Barrow, G.M. (2007). Aging, the
 individual and society. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Chapter 14 week 7 reflection

Fear of death is a normal human condition we struggle for our life, and for the life's of others, and we desperately desire to avoid unknowns. But are people more fearful, or less fearful, at different ages? I can relate to this when I was young I was very afraid to die. I also feared dying because I watched all of my family die so tragically, I lived my life for years wondering when and how I was going to die. Now that I am older, I don't fear dying I often wonder how I am going to leave this world, plane,train,or automobile. I think a lot of it has to do with my faith in God and knowing where I'm going when I do pass away. Chapter 14 talks about how society denies death. I have had a lot of phone calls letting me know that my family members have died, and not one time did they call and say hey charlene your my is dead. Most people use the works passed away,passed on, gone to glory, went to see Jesus, gone to heaven. Some fears seem normal, that is justified and within reason. Others seem to be exaggerated. The term fear of death is generally used when such apprehension has a specific, identifiable source. In comparison, death anxiety describes feelings of apprehension and discomfort that lack an identifiable source.
Reference: ageing the individual and society Susan M. Hillier Georgia M. Barrow

Chapter 13 Reflection Week 7

Chapter 13 discusses women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and improving the status of ethnic elders. According to Hillier & Barrow (2011), women, including older ones, in the United States, are in a minority status. They do not participate equally in the political and economic structures. Older women are victims of double standards of aging, a standard that judges them more harshly as they age. A large percentage of elders in poverty are females. Ethnic elders suffer from inequality in the United States. Older blacks are poorer than older whites, and have a lower life expectancy, poorer health, more inferior housing, and less material comforts. Although some African Americans are well-to-do, others are impoverished. Family ties, religion, and a resolve to persevere are special strengths. Hispanic elders are not a homogeneous group.  About half of all Hispanic elders are Mexican Americans; others come from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and various Central and South American countries. Hispanic elders have suffered major linguistic and cultural barriers to assimilation, and their socioeconomic status is low. Asian Americans elders also come from many countries. They, too, have encountered racial hatred, language barriers, and discrimination. Native Americans elders are a small group. But by any social or economic indicator, they are possibly the most deprived group in the United States. More efforts need to be directed at correcting inequities for ethnic minorities and women.

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 3-28. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH

Chapter 14

This chapter discussed death and being prepared to handle it when it comes near. It also talked about the grieving process, and how to deal with deaths around you as you age. It is important to understand that death is a part of life and it happens to everyone whether you are okay with it or not. "Realizing that death is the ultimate destiny for each of us, we need to understand, regardless of our age, the importance of preparing for it" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 398).

This chapter was good because it went in depth into the grieving process and explained each step of the process and what is happening. This is not only good for the reader to know, but for others as well such as family and friends. Everyone deals with death differently but this process shows a guideline to what many are going through, even if it is not in that particular order. It is also good for social workers to know so that they car help and understand a client to the fullest when dealing with death. 

This chapter made me realize how scary it might be for many elders, knowing that life is short and that death is lurking at any time. I do not handle death well so this chapter showed me what I need to prepare for as well as what I can expect with others who are going through sad times from loss of a family member or friend. 

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 3-28. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH

Text Blog Chapter 14

     In chapter 14 the author explained that we might be living in a death denying society. The reader learns about that stages of grief and the options elders have when it comes to death. This chapter puts a great emphasize in elders to prepare for death and to face it.
     Death is one of the few things we are certain about in this life. Eventually everyone will die and we never know when it will happen. Although some die young death certainly draws nearer as we age. People who fear death are actually afraid of pain and suffering, afraid of being non-existing and afraid of what will become of their loved ones, among other fears. Kubler-Ross created stages of grief which summarizes her theory of the process of dying (Hillier & Barrow, 2011). The stages commence with denial and shock, then comes anger which transforms into bargaining with God and the last two stages are depression and finally acceptance of death. There has been a big debate on whether assisted suicide is acceptable. Many terminally illed patients have a choice of dying in a hospital or dying at home, some may choose to receive assisted suicide. Hospice is a big part of death in the way that it prepares the individual for death. They make them as comfortable and pain-free as they possibly can.
     The reader can conclude that it is important that elders be prepared for death and be acceptant of it. It is something that will happen to all at one point in time. It is also important that the family of the person dying to be prepared as well.


Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 3-28. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH

CH.14 Reflection

As people approach the end of their lives, they and their families commonly face tasks and decisions that include a broad array of choices ranging from simple to extremely complex. They may be practical, psycho-social  spiritual, legal, existential, or medical in nature. For example, dying persons and their families are faced with choices about what kind of caregiver help they want or need and whether to receive care at home or in an institutional treatment setting. Dying persons may have to make choices about the desired degree of family involvement in care giving and decision-making. They frequently make legal decisions about wills, advanced directives, and durable powers of attorney. They may make choices about how to expend their limited time and energy. Some may want to reflect on the meaning of life, and some may decide to do a final life review or to deal with psychologically unfinished business. Some may want to participate in planning rituals before or after death. In some religious traditions, confession of sins, preparation to "meet one's maker," or asking forgiveness from those who may have been wronged can be part of end-of-life concerns. In other cultural traditions, planning or even discussing death is considered inappropriate, uncaring, and even dangerous, as it is viewed as inviting death.
All end-of-life choices and medical decisions have complex psycho-social components, ramifications, and consequences that have a significant impact on suffering and the quality of living and dying. However, the medical end-of-life decisions are often the most challenging for terminally ill people and those who care about them. Each of these decisions should ideally be considered in terms of the relief of suffering and the values and beliefs of the dying individual and his or her family. In addition, any system of medical care has its own primary values that may or may not coincide with the values of the person. For example, in most Western medical systems the principles of individual autonomy (though not to the exclusion of family members and intimates) and informed consent are primary. In contrast, many cultures eschew the principle of autonomy and the principle of interactive, community decision-making is thought to be the ideal. Therefore, well-intention-ed presentations of treatment or care possibilities by health care providers may overlook a particular person's wish not to discuss death.

week 7 blog - chapter 14

Chapter fourteen is about Death and Dying.  The fear of dying is normal but there are specific fears that people express (p.378).  Fear of pain and suffering is common.  So is fear of the unknown.  Death is not understood and can be hard to make sense of.  Fear of nonexistence is the fear of ceasing to exist after death.  Fear of eternal punishment “is shared among nonreligious as well as religious people” (p.378).  Fear of loss of control is felt because it can be very frightening to not be able to control life situations.  Fear of what will become of loved ones is also a common fear.  Not everyone will feel all of these fears because the experience of death can be different for each of us. 

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross has theories of the process of dying.  Stage one is denial and shock.  This reaction is “necessary to give us time to come to terms with the reality of the impending death” (p. 380).  Stage two is anger.  Stage three is bargaining which is “an attempt to postpone the inevitable” (p.380).  Stage four is depression which happens when the person “can no longer deny an illness because of its advancing symptoms, a profound sense of loss is experienced” (p.380).  The last stage, five, is acceptance.  One patient said “The struggle for survival is over and the dying person seems to be taking a final rest before the long journey” (p.381). 

Fearing death is common and the theories of the process of dying are normal to feel.  Hopefully none of us will have to go through these things any time soon. 

Blog # 7

Blog # 7 – Chapter 14

 

This chapter discusses an inevitable outcome that every individual will face. In our society we choose to avoid the subject of death, it’s as if the word leaves a bitter taste in our mouths. It is believed that fear is one of the factors that this subject is so “touchy”. It is believed that individuals at every age fear death, so more than others. However many older individuals have come to terms with the fact that they will face death and they are ok with this. Having religious beliefs and knowing that there is life after death has helped individuals cope with death.

 “Fear of death is a normal human condition – we struggle for our life, and for the lives of others, and we desperately desire to avoid unknowns” (Hillier and Barrow, 2011).  This being said when an individual is diagnosed with a terminal disease, it seems that everything is put into a new perspective, they now know that their time on earth is limited.  It is believed that there are stages that one will face upon this information such as, denial and shock – this cant be happening to me, anger – why me and not someone else, bargaining – If I do this maybe I can live longer, Depression – this is it, and Acceptance – I am ready (Kubler- Ross).

Even though we cannot change death, we are given choices once we have accepted death. These choices are known as advanced directives. There are different forms such as a living will, durable power of attorney, DNR (Do not resuscitate) and assisted suicide. Being that we are provided with rights all of our lives, these choices help individuals cope with death, they are given one last choice on how they want to live the rest of their lives once they reach a certain stage.

 

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 373-400. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH.

Blog #7 Chapter 14

     Death and dying is a topic many people often try to avoid. Chapter 14 gives enlightening information on the emotions, confusion, and aspects that go into death and dying that allow us as individuals to better understand it. Hillier and Barrow (2011) explain that death avoidance is not unique to today's society; the thought of death and the unknowable produces anxiety and the only way to become free of this is to immerse ourselves in all aspects of death in order to better understand it.
     Old people are commonly stereotyped as waiting "fearlessly" for death, however, fear of death is a normal human condition and many believe that older people may in fact fear death even more because they are closer to it (Hillier & Barrow, 2011). The chapter goes on to explain that with this fear and the process of dying comes certain stages of grief. Denial and shock, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance make up the emotions that many experience when being faced with death, or the death of a loved one (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).
     Caring for the dying can prove to be an obstacle in itself as well. The type of care and relationship between the patient and caregivers highly depends on the level of awareness that the patient is experiencing pertaining to their condition. For example, closed awareness refers to those patients who are unaware that they are going to die, while open awareness refers to when both, the patient and staff are openly aware that the patient is dying (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).
     When death can be discussed and accepted the planning stages are often much easier on both the patient and their family. "Realizing that death is the ultimate destiny for each of us, we need to understand, regardless of our age, the importance of preparing for it" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 398). Advanced directives, living wills, power of attorneys, and funeral arrangements can lighten the stress load significantly since these factors allow plans to be made and followed ahead of time (Hillier & Barrow, 2011). By having plans made and carried out, loved ones are able to grieve properly for their loss, without the added stress of confusion and conflict pertaining to arrangements and material items. This is important for people of all ages, death is something we must all face eventually and to be educated on the topic will only allow us to feel more at ease.

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 373-400. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH.

chaper 14 Blog #7

This chapter deals with death and dying something most people donot like to discuss, but the reality, is that death does happen.  According to Hillier and Barrow they say we are "a death-denying society our words, attitudes, and practices suggest that ours is a death-denying society, have you ever used the word "died" and had the uncomfortable feeling that those with whom you were talking considered the word too direct and in bad taste? "passed away" ( Hillier and Barrow. p. 367). Working  in the funeral home business for many years most people will refere to the term passed away, or passed on they feel better using those choice of words.
According to the arthor death avoidance is not unique to modern times, howver, dealing with the unknowable, whatever its outcome, is anxiety producing for humans. likewise "denial of death is possible on a grand scale now not because we choose to deny it more than our ancestors did, but because we have greter institutional resource for helping us to avoid its reality" (p368). As a funeral profession most people fear death, as well as even going into a funeral home or talking about death they think it will bring on death in some way. Death will come so it is important too live life to the fullest while you are in good shape or health,
so enjoy life.

Chapter 14 Reflection: Death and Dying.

Death is a common thing anywhere on this earth. Death is around us and it happens everyday, I'm not the type of person that is uncomfortable about death and I am very comfortable when talking about my family members. One thing I do not like is when there is a vey sensitive person and not knowing what to say and what not to say to them because everyone likes to react differently. One thing interesting I seen in the chapter is the "Death-Denying Society, it says Have you ever used the word died and had the uncomfortable feeling that those with whom you were talking to considered the word too direct and in bad taste?'(375). When talking to me about a death its okay because I feel better when I release pain and talk about it. With other people I may not know to well they will crack under any pressure. The fear of death used to be a horrifying thing but it seems as if teenagers and young adults are getting reckless and less careful about their lives. As long as I'm right with the Lord and my faith is right I have no fear in dying. Living Fully until death is something that I live by everyday I want to live life like I'm dying everyday not in a dumb way but to be successful and be all that I can be and accomplish anything that I may come across. All I ever dream to be is successful and being fearful of taking chances that isn't going to happen.

Chapter 14 Blog # 7

This learner reviewed chapter 14 Death and Dying. Death is certain in life and unknown to the feeling of what it feels like to pass away (Hillier & Barrow 2011). This chapter is about preparing for death, who fears death more, young or older people, funerals, and stages of death. The most interesting section in the chapter was fear of death.

The text explains that society views the elderly as waiting for death (Hillier & Barrow 2011). Society has noticed that younger people seem to be more fearful of death than the elderly (Hillier & Barrow 2011). The reason is that most elderly people seem to accomplish what they were looking to accomplish in life (Hillier & Barrow 2011). Also, the belief is that they may be in pain, suffering from a disease or because they have lost too many people they care about (Hillier & Barrow 2011). 

It is agreed that it is innate that individuals fear death and that it provides direction for life activities (Hillier & Barrow 2011). The term Fear of death is generally used when such apprehension has a specific source (Hillier & Barrow 2011). Death anxiety is the feeling of apprehension source and death competency is skill dealing with death (Hillier & Barrow 2011). Those terms are interesting to this learning because it seems to be easily confused. This helped clarify each meaning.

Some ways anxiety and fear are removed are traditional religious beliefs (Hillier & Barrow 2011). One is going to heaven after death and survival of the body after death (Hillier & Barrow 2011).  Overall this chapter was interesting to find out the fears and anxiety between the young and elder population.

Ch. 14 Death and Dying

This chapter covers many topics including a death-denying society, fear of death, living fully until death, care of the dying in hospitals, a matter of choice, informed consent to treatment, funerals, facing and preparing for death, and bereavement. Death-denying society refers to when individuals avoid using the term died because it gives an uncomfortable feeling and some may consider it too direct (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). Most people use passed away or passed on because it is not as direct as died. Fear of death is a common and normal feeling that most humans struggle with throughout their lives. The fear of death is understood by one of these theories including, fear of pain and suffering, fear of the unknown, fear of nonexistence, fear of eternal punishment, fear of loss of control, and fear of what will become of loved ones. These are all common beliefs or fears of what people experience as they fear death. According to Hillier and Barrow (2011) “Family support is crucial to the dying person. It is likewise important to family members who will survive their loved one’s death” (p. 380). It is essential for family member to have good relationships with their sick and dying loved ones in order for everyone to stay in a healthy and positive relationship which helps the individual live fully until death. Funerals and the loss of a loved one and family member “can be the most tragic even a person experiences in a lifetime” (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). All of these topics relate to the aging individual and how they prepare for death. This chapter gave key points for making advance directives and preparing for the future. 

Chapter 11 Weekly Reflection

Chapter 11 describes the category of old-old age in the elderly age group. The population of 75 years and older is projected to be the fastest growing segment of the old age population within the next 100 years. (Hillier and Barrow, 2007 pg. 291). Contrary to myths and stereotypes about frailness and little capability of functioning alone, many elderly in the old -old age category are successfully aging and are experiencing independence as well as, satisfactory life evaluations. This is not to say that this particular age group is not facing some hardships. For those who do need some type of assistance, whether it be in home care and assistance with daily living activities or full time nursing care in a skilled facility, face many concerns and issues. Choosing to relocate, stay in present home, or choose a nursing home facility can all be major decisions for the old-old age group. There abilities to make these decisions are sometimes contingent among the amount of resources they have or do not have. Even the amount of resources their resources have, such as children, family, or friends able to provide care can pose some type of affect on the elderly. Caregiver for this age group are also facing many challenges, becoming quickly burnt out by being overworked and underpaid or
receiving no benefits and recognition for their serves create numerous amount of concern and stress for these individuals. Psychological interventions and respite care services are some methods to intervene and alleviate stress for this group of people. Hopefully, having positive effects on both the caregiver and the quality of care an elderly individual is receiving.
   Becoming aware of the situations the elderly and their caregivers are facing are essential in the ways we can help and intervene in our future as social workers. While it does make sense that caregivers who are facing high levels of stress can find themselves taking it out on the people they are providing care for, we must try and do more to try and understand and advocate on every level of practice for better quality of care and better conditions for individuals to be able to provide that care.

 Reference:

Hillier, S.M. and Barrow, G.M. (2007). Aging, the

individual and society. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Chapter 12 Reflection Blog Week 6

Special problems with the elderly can become vast and complicated according to the variables surrounding the individual. Chapter 12 discusses suicide, crimes against older people, aging criminals, elder abuse, fraud, medical and health care fraud, drug abuse, and promoting consumer education. According to Hillier & Barrow (2011), suicide is the ultimate reaction to hopelessness - the acting out of a belief that there is no promise to the future and no reason to live in it. The text describes suicide in old age as statistically being a man’s issue. Some experts speculate that medical technology has introduced a quality of life that older adults cannot accept. Many medical advances give people longer lives but not necessarily a better long life. The text discusses choosing to die which is a major issue in the Texas legislature going on today in Texas. Crimes against older people are more likely to take place in their homes, while younger people are more likely to be attacked when they are away from their homes. The chapter discusses ways of fighting back with several different programs many cities have implemented. Programs such as Neighborhood Watch which emphasizes crime awareness in residents of all ages; in many cities, “granny squads” of older people patrol neighborhood blocks, and some cities provide escort services to older people. There are also aging criminals who mostly commit petty crimes but there are some who commit felonies. Elder abuse is another special problem and most abuse of elders is done by the person with whom they live. Physical, psychological, financial, violations of rights and neglect just to name a few are abuse elders are exposed to. Elders are also victims of fraud because they can be so trusting. As a result of being trusting, they fall victim to land and home equity fraud, credit card fraud, telemarket fraud, and many more. Elders also deal with alcoholism and drug abuse. Our society offers drugs, both legal and illegal, as a solution to a host of problems. Chapter 12 concludes with promoting consumer education. It discusses how consumer education is vital in helping individuals to avoid fraud, medical quackery, and drug abuse.

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 3-28. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 discusses the older generations and the problems that they are encountering as they reach theses ages, with healthcare and living situations. As we have learned in previous chapters, with health care advances in the last thirty years, individuals are living longer and healthier lives. However, this does not mean that as they age they are not going to need assistance in their everyday lives. “Although the numbers vary depending on definitions, at least 20 percent of all non-institutionalized elders are in need of help. This percentage more than doubles for the age 85 and over”( Hiller and Barrow, 2011). 

Many elderly people prefer to live in the comfort of their own homes, but in order to this, they must receive some kind of outside care or assistance. One example given in this chapter is an individual who has arthritis in their knees and needs assistance with household chores and grocery shopping, even though pain killers are required and it is a health issue, medcaid does not cover this kind of home care (Hiller and Barrow, 2011).  At this age many individuals have retired and are living on social security and Medicaid, so they must try and find a way to pay for this assistance.

This chapter also talks about how many family members are participating in the caregiving of their parents. The stress of the elderly parent’s health deteriorating, along with all of the everyday things that their normal lives require,  can cause this to become a burden.

In order to make things easier on the elderly and their families we must focus on creating more home health care jobs and offer sufficient pay, so more individuals will be interested. According to Hiller and Barrow, “For the oldest of the old, the most critical need in the future will be for programs and policies that reduce the risk of dependence and promote self-determination” (2011).

Week 6 Blog Review: Chapter 12

This chapter dealt with special problems the elderly face on a daily basis. These special problems include suicide, crimes against older people, aging criminals, elder abuse, fraud, medical and health care fraud, drug abuse, and promoting consumer education. The elderly are abused in so many ways. This chapter talks about the different ways and who does it. "Some abuses against elders are committed by street thugs, others are perpetrated by presumably reputable business people and professionsals, and still others are committed by adult children or paid caretakers. And some of the abuse is self-inflicted" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p.317).

I learned a great amount of information from this chapter. What I found the most interesting about it was not realizing how much fraud actually happens to elder people and how many types of fraud there are out in the world. These types include social referal, land and home equity fraud, mail order, television, and e-mail fraud, telemarket fraud, credit card fraud, door-to-door sales,  investment fraud, estate planning fraud, and medical and health care fraud. One that did not surprise me was the telemarket fraud because it happens to so many other people besides the elderly, although elderly are a lot more easy to target. But in the text it gives you a list of a few resources such as National Crime Prevention Council, Publishes Seniors and Telemarketing Fraud 101, National Consumer League's Fraud Center, Do Not Call Registry, Fedral Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, North American Securities Administrators Association, and the AARP (p. 333). This chapter also made me realize how something could go wrong at any moment because of how easy an elderly person is to target.

This will relate to my future professional goals because I want to be able to help an of the elderly clients I work with and try to get them out of any abuse that may be happening to them whether it is by someone else or by them. It will help me, help them become aware of what could happen to them in certain situation and to let them know to be cautious. It will also help me decide which actions I will want to take if one of my clients need my help.

 Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 313-342. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH.

chapter 11 oldest old and caregiving wk 6

Chapter 11 talks about adult children as caregivers, it says " nearly 30 percent of aging person who need home care receive it from adult daughters, 23 percent from wives, and 20 percent  from more distant female relatives or female nonrelatives." it states the greatest strain seems to be upon "women in the middle" middle aged women who have children and jobs and responsible for the home care of parents.
The fact is that taking care of elderly parent is one of the hardest thing to do, that was the case with our mother.
The emotional side of taking care of her was hard because we need to do a job well but also she was our mother and sometimes so would not allow us to help her, she would say am your mother your can't tell me what to do, or she just refused to do anything. The stresse and strain that was place on the caregiver is very high, everyone is looking at you, or telling what they think you should do or not do but not every one pulling their weight.  According to Hiller & Barrow " a fierec tangle of emotions comes with parenting one's parents: anguish, frustration, inadequacy, guilt."  (p310).  Most of the time being stress was because most was not doing all that they said they would do, have to always pick up the slack, one become burden down the author call this stress overload, which is a true fact, as stated in the book taking care of a parent can be rewarding for many adult childern, it come with a price to pay, not being their for your own family,and spouse, you are pulled in so many directions by so many people is very emotional at times but than you pick your self up and keep going becaue my mother need you to be there for her and speak for her as well.
Finaly take time for your self, don't be afarid to ask for help, an seek some outside support from a support group who knows what you are deal going through, if you do this it will be a great benefit in the long run.   
      

Weekly Text Blog Chapter 11

     In chapter 11 the reader learns the different groups that the elderly are put in. This chapter also has a great emphasize on caregiving. There are many types of caregiving, formal which is done by a professional and informal which is done by someone unprofessional. There a many problems that come when someone is providing these services if they are not prepared.
     The elderly use to be classified in one whole group, but now they are classified by the young-old and the old-old. There are many living arrangements that the oldest-old could live under. Although most prefer to live independently there are some who live with an adult child or nursing home. Informal caregiving is a big part when talking about how much our lifespan has grown. This type of caregiving is mainly based on family or friends that provide caregiving services. When a family has a daughter most of the caregiving falls onto her shoulders and this ccould easily be a burden on her if she is busy with her own life being a wife, mother,  and employee. This is not always the case, there is a great percent of spousal care as well. Most of the time it is the wife who is caregiving her husband. In some cases the idea of caregiving for the elderly is reversed. Some elderly parents could be in good health and therefore caring for an adult child or grandchildren. With caregiving comes stress and the importance to not overwelm yourself is high. To manage ones stress the author suggests to take time for yourself,  to to talk to a professional caregiver, and to have a big support group (Hillier & Barrow,  2011).
     This chapter has a lot of information for caregivers and the reader can conclude that the  oldest-old may be healthier than what most people assume. They could also learn the different types of places where the oldest old would live in.

Hillier, S. & Barrow,  G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 3-28. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH.

week 6 chapter 11

I would first have to mention that since I chose Social Work as my Profession I'm not sure what field of Social Work I would like to work in. Working in the nursing homes have never been some where I have wanted to work, because of my experience as a teenager I worked at a nursing home as a NA, and it wasn't fun at all. With that being  said it seem like I have been placed in the position to  take care of the elderly, in the past. As you all know  took care of my grand father on my mother's side of the family full time; well I also played a big part in taking care of my Grand Mother on my father's side of the family. My grand mother before she got up in age was one of the strongest people I have ever met in my life. To see her at a fragile state was something I had to get use to. Years later my grand mother end up with Alzheimer's disease. At that time is when me and my family had to become informal caregivers. I have to be honest and say in the late stages when my grand mother had Alzheimer's it was so funny because everyone would be at the house and you know how the family sit around talking, well while we talking my grand mother would ease her way around the house picking up keys, money, digging in purses. Well at the in of the day we all had to go on a hunt looking for all of the thinks that she hid. Not only was this a big responsible, but at the same time it was hard to watch your love one go threw something that you have absolutely no control over.

References:

aging the individual and society : Susan M. Hillier Georgia M. Barrow

Blog #6 Chapter 11

     As people age through the different stages of "old" (young-old, old-old, and oldest-old) they require different care, they have different wants and needs, and continue to change both physically and emotionally. The extent to which these changes occur are what calls for the level of care needed. "The general census seems to be that physical losses in old age do not begin taking a heavy toll until after age 85" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 293). According to Hillier and Barrow (2011) although many of the "oldest-old have chronic disabling conditions, many have no functional limitations; meaning they are capable of living alone and often times taking care of themselves and their household chores etc. The measure of functional ability is the ability to do personal activities of daily living without help (Hillier & Barrow, 2011).
     There comes a time, however, that these individuals' will need part-time and/or constant care; choosing a care-giver or institution can be highly stressful to both the elder and their family and loved ones. Hillier and Barrow (2011) suggest the preferred living arrangement of older people is to live alone, as opposed to formal caregiving, "Informal caregiving comes from relationships that exist naturally in a person's environment, such as family, friends, church, and organizations that are not professional or financed by the government" (Hillier & Barrow, 2011, p. 298). Other popular forms of caregiving include family, such as spousal and adult-children.
     With caregiving not only comes added responsibility, but often times additional stress to the caregiver as well as the elder. Hillier and Barrow (2011) give multiple tips for reducing stress. Psychosocial interventions, in other words, psychological help from paid professionals have found varied techniques to reduce stress and guilt in caregivers (Hillier & Barrow, 2011). Individual counseling, family counseling, support groups, educational groups, problem-solving groups for the care-taker and patient, social worker visits, and family consultants all can help to reduce the stress load that comes with caring for an elder (Hillier & Barrow, 2011). It is important to research and be knowledgable of the different options for caregiving and coping with the stresses that follow to ensure a healthier experience for everyone involved.

Hillier, S. & Barrow, G. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. 289-312. 9th ed. California: WADSWORTH.