The Role Of Society In Contributing To Isolation In The Elderly
Imagine being so isolated that your only means of communication is by using public services such as the police and grocery store clerks due to the bleak reasoning of having nobody else to talk to. This is the profoundly sad reality of many senior citizens today. Every third elderly suffers from isolation, through no fault of their own. The elderly are a group of splendid people who provide us with immense amount of love and wisdom yet are so often deprived of love that they ultimately get pushed away from consciousness to such an extent that they lose touch of the real world.The elderly have so much all knowledge, insight and passion to generously share with us that is beneficial for ourselves. So why do we as a society allow such a prodigious group of people to be isolated from us?
There are numerous factors which contribute to the cause of isolation in the elderly. Firstly, as we all grow older death of significant members of our family seems to be become very prevalent leading to the shrinkage of social circles. If they have not passed away then they are faced with the differences of their bodies such as loss of hearing and eyesight which combine to create such hindrances for communication that it's simply just an impactful demotivator. Alongside, simple activities get harder to participate in such a commuting to meet others by which must be done through public transport at times which is very inconvenient. Aside from decline in physical health there is also deterioration of mental health and reduced confidence which urges the elderly to succumb to loneliness. Sadly, many seniors experience a decline in the number and quality of their relationships as they age, whether it is self-imposed or due to outside forces.
So how does society factor into all of this? As the increase of modernity is taking its toll on our society drastic changes have been evident which directly or indirectly impact the lives of our elderly citizens. For instance there has been a prominent visibility of the trend of nuclear families. In the “United States the average number of people per household has dropped from 3.1 in 1970 to 2.5 in 2013.” Furthermore the average number of children per family declined from 1.3 in 1970 to 0.9 in 2013. Through this factual data we can understand that more and more families are being cut down in the amount of members that they carry furthermore reinstating the notion of absence of the elderly in homes. In Asian cultures and traditions it is very common and highly practiced to keep extended families within the household as a sign of respect and gratitude towards our elders. This not only benefits the younger generation as they learn values and responsibility but aids the elders into a gentle old age with care, kindness and love.
They are also always in the presence of family and children which decreases the probability of isolation Presently however through the popularity of nuclear households, adults are heading less attention towards their elders leading them to be unattended for causing family estrangement. Another factor deploying from society's perspective is the increase of nursing homes in areas proving to increase dependency of adults giving them a reason to not nurture their own parents and leave them alone. More than half of Americans will find themselves in a nursing home at some point in their lives, a new study from healthday shows. Furthermore the 2010 US census found that 3.1 percent of seniors were nursing home residents. Rather than move to a nursing home or assisted living, many seniors choose in-home care support. “Shona grange an experienced social worker even claimed that services were that were designed to keep the elderly associated with communication made them feel even worse.
Additionally as society progresses there is an increase in utilization of technology in our everyday lives which can can reduce the isolation that the elderly experience for many reasons. as more and more everyday communication is taking place via technology the the older population is struggling to keep up with the dramatically changing technology leaving them out of a very critical element of out community having them feel even more out of place. Technology is so powerful that it is even replacing the everyday familiar faces of our local workers cuzh as the store clerks and bankers forcing the elderly to have little to no human interaction left. Furthermore a lot of individuals are too busy wrapped up in their own pursuits or occupational aspiration or simply too busy in their hectic schedules to head attention to their elders. This is commonly accompanied by the thought of wanting to be independent through the year of change of culture. Lastly, people simply don't understand the severe case of isolation and its consequences nor do they understand how to deal with it. This is caused due to societal stigma of mental health and lack of awareness which causes discomfort. THE issue at hand is arley talked about and if it is no one is ready to hear the bitter truth of the hardships that the elderly population has to face.
Consequence
Human beings are psychologically and biologically social people trained to collaborate through social networking. With old age each one's social web thins out prominently creating a negative impact on one's health. It imposes stress on our minds and bodies in a meta-analysis 3 of 148 studies focusing on the relationship between social isolation (varyingly measured in terms of social networks and the extent to which social supports were available) and mortality, it was found that having more or more supportive social relationships was indeed related to a decreased mortality risk.A University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study found that participants 60 years old and older who reported feeling lonely saw a 45 percent increase in their risk of death. Based on the strength of the findings, the authors concluded that lack of social relationships is as strong a risk factor for mortality as are smoking, obesity or lack of physical activity. Similarly, older adults who are lonely have an increased risk of dying sooner and are more likely to experience a decline in their mobility, compared to those who are not lonely.4,5. Isolation in the elderly also increases risks of dementia and falling which are both highly fatal for the elderly. This impacts the medication they take and the amount of hospital visits that they must endure ultimately putting their life at risk. Furthermore, isolation is known to increase rates of depressive episodes by up to 14 percent
And can in some cases even induce suicide attempts. It raises the levels of stress hormones like cortisol in the body, which impairs immune responses and contributes to inflammation, mental illness and conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry even found that loneliness may be associated with the development of brain biomarkers associated with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Isolation also factors in anxiety and higher blood pressure levels within the elderly. Apart from mental health isolation also impacts physical health as it reduces the amount of physical activity that they take part in. There is also a cultural perspective as elderly pass on values, tradition and culture to the younger generation. They also help out in families with working parents by spending time with their grandchildren which has proven to be effective on both sides.
Solution
The solution to end isolation is not direct nor is it simple but we can begin by taking small steps to ensure that a change towards a better future is made. Initially we can begin by having genuinity in creating a relationship with them and properly treating them as human beings. Naturally we care after the elderly as a task not as an enjoyment, however if we listen and observe them it is certain that they will find an outlet to expression and communication. By listening to them we can make them feel wanted and appreciated. Make a conscious effort to understand what their hobbies are and prominently tr to incorporate that into their present lives. Studies show that different mediums of expressing emotions pave a path towards a stronger and more ruting bond between two people.
Global Perspective
The number of older persons in the world is projected to be 1.4 billion in 2030 rising at an alarming rate. In the coming decades many countries are likely to face fiscal and political pressures in relation to public systems of health care, pensions and social protections for a growing older population.To begin addressing these issues, the General Assembly convened the first World Assembly on Ageing in 1982, which produced a 62-point “Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing.” It called for specific action on such issues as health and nutrition, protecting elderly consumers, housing and environment, family, social welfare, income security and employment, education, and the collection and analysis of research data.
Other familiar like agendas are being proposed to secure the healthy living of the elderly. Another programme is suited to aiding the elderly called Sustainable Development which sets out a universal plan of action to realize the human rights of all people. It calls for leaving no one behind and for ensuring that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are met for all segments of society, at all ages, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable — including older persons. And the UNFPAS which works to raise awareness about the ageing population and the need to address its challenges
National perspective
The United Kingdom faces the problem of isolation in the elderly in a very hectic manner. According to ageuk.org 3.6 million older people live in the Uk alone out of which 1.9 million people feel ignored or invisible.The rate of lonliness if the uk is very high leading to it being a very vital issue that must be taken care of. The situation is so severe that nearly half of older people (49% of 65+ UK) say that television or pets are their main form of company. Over 65s spent less time with friends: only 35% spent time with friends most or every day in the last 2 weeks, and 12% never did. These alarming numbers are only increasing and show no sign of subsidising. In order to decrease the evergrowing lonliness the uks National Council of Seniors declared social isolation among seniors as its priority area for 2013-14 and has prominently raised awarness through various campaigns such as”campaign to end lonliness” and “spread love to elders which a letter distribution company to send letter letters written by students over to th eelderly in old age homes.
Personal Perspective
I personally believe that the the population of the aged and aging must be recognized as the active individuals of our community in order to achieve truly transformative, inclusive and sustainable development outcomes Although an ageing world poses social and economic challenges,I believe the right set of policies can equip individuals, families and societies to address these challenges and to reap its benefits. There should be more priority given to the elderly and awareness of isolation and its consequences should be spread rapidly. Governments should take up the responsibility to notify its citizens of the importance of our elders and encourage the public to volunteer their spare time at the old age homes to make it a normal activity. This project has taught me not to underestimate the impacts of loneliness and to never put anyone's presence in oblivion. The suffering and hardships that they have to face is heartbreaking. Programmes with children and the elderly should be promoted to induce lower rates of isolation and create unique bonds between citizens. Lastly i think every individual should out o ftheir day take two minutes to talk to an elderly to share a smile. A small difference can go a long way.
