Chapter 8

Social Work for the Aged

Contents

I. What is Aging II. The Theories of Social Work for the Aged

III. The Objectives and Principles of Social Work for the Aged IV. Conclusion

Exercises

Key Points

• 1. In simple terms, the goal of social work in the elderly is to help the elderly to solve the difficulties encountered in life.

• 2.The aging of the population and the changes of modern society are two important factors affecting the elderly problems.

• 3.The elderly social work includes health care for the elderly, the elderly psychological education services, elderly employment services and elderly social work research and education.

Introduction

As today's globalization problem, the aging of the population, which with the acceleratedprocess of population aging, the problem of the elderly is becoming increasingly realistic and urgent, but the support of the social service system is still seriously inadequate. "Getting old before getting rich" has brought more prominent than in developed countries, more serious social problems. Social work as a professional selfreliance, has the function of solving social problems.Social work undertaken to alleviate and solve the problem of the elderly being increasingly serious problem, is obviously very necessary.

I. What is Aging

• For the aging groups，they are generally defined by physiological age. Whether one person is an aging or not is determined by his/her age.

Elderly is not a disease, but a normal stage of life we must pass through.” But for the purposes of certain criteria, older people are considered vulnerable easily.Among them, the health disadvantage of the elderly is the most prominent, because with age, the aging degree is deepening for every elderly inevitably.

Aging Definition

II. The Theories of Social Work for the Aged

1. Role theory 2. Disengagement[n. 脱离;分开] theory 3. Activity theory 4. Continuity theory 5. Labeling theory

Role theory

Clinical social work applies role theory to practice. Role theory illuminates understanding of people using the services of social agencies, who frequently believe they have failed in one or more of their social roles or in society's expectations of them. Practitioners understand that social roles are culturally achieved. Everyone chooses from among many roles within the group or culture to which he or she belongs. The performance or behavior of the individual in these roles, with some leeway, can be fairly accurately predicted. Social role becomes a determinant of behavior and cuts across a wide variety of situations in which individuals find themselves. Knowledge about these forces and their culturally determined influences support practice with the individual.

Disengagement theory

• The disengagement theory of aging states that "aging is an inevitable, mutual withdrawal or disengagement, resulting in decreased interaction between the aging person and others in the social system he belongs to". The theory claims that it is natural and acceptable for older adults to withdraw from society. The theory was formulated by Cumming and Henry in 1961 in the book Growing Old, and it was the first theory of aging that social scientists developed. Growing old, the process of disengagement.

Activity theory

• The activity theory, also known as the implicit theory of aging, normal theory of aging, and lay theory of aging, proposes that successful aging occurs when older adults stay active and maintain social interactions. It takes the view that the aging process is delayed and the quality of life is enhanced when old people remain socially active. The activity theory rose in opposing response to the disengagement theory. The activity theory and the disengagement theory were the two major theories that outlined successful aging in the early 1960s. The theory was developed by Robert J. Havighurst in 1961.