Abuse and Neglect on the elderly

Essay by jessicaseabrook April 2006

download word file, 1 pages 3.0

Abuse and neglect are most common among the weakest elements of society, the very young and the very old. Abuse and the neglect of the elderly is a widespread, and therefore societal, problem. This news report outlines the problems of seniors living in nursing homes.

How would you analyze this social problem? Would you use a structural-functional, symbolic-interaction, or social-conflict analysis? Explain your choice. In your opinion, how is the problem of elder abuse likely to change with the aging of the baby boomer generation?

I would analyze this as a social conflict. The elderly are neglected, because the younger generation dos not feel obligated to take care of the elderly. It's a matter of survival of the fittest.

Younger people have nothing to benefit by taking care of the elderly. As a matter of opinion younger people may feel that, because the elder generation has had their time; it is now time to move on.

It is a social divide. Younger is stronger, faster, and more powerful; therefore benefits more by not empowering the elderly.

The problem of elder abuse is not likely to change; in fact it will get increasingly worse than it is now.

With so many baby boomers reaching age 60 and moving into retirement the problem will get increasingly worse, because until the attitudes of every younger generation changes this will never go away.