Social Gerontology

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Embracing Social Gerontology
There are certain things in this world that can never be disputed. One such thing is the growth process. Be it in plants, animals, or any other living thing, growth is inevitable. With growth definitely comes wear and tear. Wear and tear is a terminology that has always been associated with machines: just because they having moving parts. However, a human being has got moving parts in their body: the joints of the human bones form the moving part; therefore they are subject to wear and tear.
As a baby is newly born, so must it grow and age with time. When a baby is born, maximum care is accorded to it: just because it cannot afford to take good care of itself. The same is true for an old person. With ageing, comes weakness. Most of the things that a person used to do on their own become almost impossible to do. Human being has tried all ways possible to delay the ageing process: in fact human being likes the idea of being young and completely despises anything to do with the ageing process (Nancy 1). However much we try we have never succeeded in defeating old age. We can only learn how to prepare for old age and how to live with it once it knocks on our doors. This is where Social Gerontology becomes a fundamental part of the ageing process.
Social Gerontology is the study of, social, psychological and biological aspects of ageing. It includes a number of issues amongst which include: investigating effects of an ageing population on society, investigating the ageing process itself (which in scientific terms is referred to as biogerontology), studying physical, mental, and social changes on persons as they age, investigating the interface of normal ageing and age related disease (geroscience) and lastly applying all this knowledge to policies and programs (both macroscopic and microscopic).
When it comes to caregiving, most people choose either formal or informal caregiving. While formal caregiving is one provided for by recognized institutions i.e. recognized nursing homes for formal caregiving, informal caregiving is provided by private individuals to the ageing: the informal caregivers can be relatives or volunteers for instance. The caregiving process is a tricky process; it requires a person who is fully committed to the process. As mentioned earlier, caregiving is accorded to the ageing who finds it difficult to execute some of the tasks they normally used to do: that is why caregiving needs dedicated persons. Caregivers in their cause of duty encounter many challenges and issues. For instance, infringement of privacy is a major issue. The ageing just like babies, require round the clock attention, a caregiver would then feel that such a requirement makes them spend more time with the ageing than with their husbands or their families.
Amongst the informal caregivers, disruption of family responsibilities; in some occasion work responsibilities become a major issue. A care giver may arrive late for work because they had to attend to an ageing person. This may lead to strenuous work relations. The cost of caregiving cannot be sidelined. The ageing may suffer from a disease that may render them immobile. It therefore means that alternative means of mobility has to be sought. Now, if we heap this financial burden to a family that can even afford a decent meal, it becomes a humongous task: in fact an impossible requirement. Absence of universal health insurance and very high medical cost in Singapore add to the woes of caregiving in Singapore. This is not to say that caregiving is an undertaking that should be abhorred. On the contrary it should be embraced. We cannot dismiss caregiving just because of some few setbacks that associated with it. Money, diamond, gold etc. have got far much worse setbacks, but do we hate them? Never! Caregiving is a wonderful experience that strengthens the family. It is really amazing how taking care of an ageing person can bring a warring family for example closer than expected. In addition someone fills proud when they say that they help in taking care of the elderly. It brings about social responsibility especially amongst the younger generation. It is like a given fact that if you help in taking care of someone elderly right now, then the same favor will be returned to you when your time comes.
In the recent years, Singapore has seen a big increase in the elderly. In fact we have witnessed an increase of the elderly over 65 years of age (Zhao Zheng 12). The Singapore government has got in place legislations and policies that deal with caregiving. We have enacted into law the Maintenance of Parents Act in 1994. Amongst its keys features was ...