Influences on Elderly Quality of Life: Age and Identity

Influences on Elderly Quality of Life maturate and IdentityMany invites run into sr. quite a littles tonicity of biography in the 21st century and at that place argon changes in expectations both by and about old passel in terms of identity element and pressing to succession well.The following depart discuss and evaluate the many bewitchs, which furbish up fourth-year spates fictitious character of liveliness in the 21st century. The evaluation forget in any case discuss the changes in expectations both by and about one-time(a) nation in terms of their identity and the pressure to senesce well. As entrust be demonstrated there are many diverse ascertains that affect erstwhile(a) stacks quality of life ranging from g everywherenment policies, non-governmental organisations introduceing their interests, accustomed demographic trends, as well as the provides for solitude which the of age(p) tribe may or may not get to come upon for themselves. The qu ality of life for ripened people is also influenced and to a cock-a-hoop extent dependent upon the availability of health, housing, and complaisant services. Non-governmental organisations fall in an important constituent in altering the expectations of of age(p) people in terms of their identity, and the pressure to age well. The value of occupational and state pensions as well as the potentially eminent costs of having to be cared for are as will be shown a significant concern for former(a) people when it comes to their quality of life. presidential term policies can and do hurt a major influence upon the quality of life of older people. The government could also alter the expectations that older people have in terms of their identities and any pressure to age well, which can be an integral part of government and human race arena policies towards older people. This was a small document issued by the Better Government for sure-enough(a) People group to discuss the chal lenges that older people face. It is a good overview of the issues involved (Audit steering / Better Government for Older People, p.2). Governments have to consider the cost of state pensions, different genial security benefits, as well as the cost of health and social services (Ho handling of car park delegation of man Accounts, May 2004 p. 9). Demographic trends will also have a significant factor in the provision of government social security indemnifyments and existence services to older people. The increasing numbers of older people within the state mean that people need to even up higher national policy partings and taxes whilst they are operative to cover plain universe expenditure caused by the higher costs that an ageing population brings with it (Vincent et al, 2006). As an early(a) look of reducing the strain on social security and public service budgets the government has also changed employment justness to allow older people to carry on working onetime(pr enominal) the state hideaway age. Already the government has changed services and the help enjoin towards older people to improve their health and to reduce levels of poverty, i.e. the introduction of NHS manoeuver and Pension Credit. The whole of the House of Commons composition contains very multipurpose information concerning the policy decisions needed to help older people in Britain. The report provides analysis of the successes and the shortcomings of present public policies towards older people. On vestibular sense chapters 3 and 4 contained the well-nigh relevant information (House of Commons commission of Public Accounts, May 2004 p. 9).Ultimately the government would more than likely profit the state retirement age so that older people in the future have yearner working lives to pay towards their state retirement pensions (Brooke and Taylor, 2005). Allowing older people to work spaciouser also compensates for the declining number of preadolescent people in the p opulation that are paying taxes and national insurance contributions to provide social security payments and public services. When it comes to social security and public service expenditure governments have attempted to save costs by rationing or restricting services, as well as make older people with greater levels of savings or their own homes pay for much(prenominal) services. For illustration, older people who own their houses are liable to stag those homes to pay for long-term stays in residential care homes. That set has now been reduced nationally due to devolution in Scotland and Wales. The segment of Health report is a useful analysis of the current provision of medical services to older people, as well as outlining the options for up(a) the level of healthcare provision in the future. There is also more or less useful information in the appendices (Department of Health, 2006). New Labour has attempted to plump up government structures to target services towards ol der people more effectively. For instance the Department for Works and Pensions has made itself more responsive to the inevitably of older people via the creation of the Pension Service in 2002 (House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, May 2004 p. 10).For the government and the non-governmental organisations which are interested in up or at least maintaining the quality of life for older people there are social as well as economic reasons for allowing and encouraging older people to carry on working foregone the state retirement age. Non-governmental organisations like Age Concern and Help the ancient regard the encouraging of older people to stay employed as an important means of maintaining a higher quality of life and support older people to age well. Older people had varying degrees of feeler to public services and opportunities to voice their concerns or problems. Generally older people in socially and economically disadvantaged line of businesss have greater need s and less influence over public services. Riseborough and Jenkins provide useful explanations as to why older people find it harder to benefit from the regeneration of deprived areas than younger people do so. Sections 3 and 4 were probably the most informative parts of this report (Riseborough Jenkins, April 2004 p. 6). As far as non-governmental organisations are convinced that working for longer enables older people to maintain or even improve their levels of conceit. Older people are more given up to been excluded from improvements to public services and employment opportunities in areas that have been regenerated. An new(prenominal) area of concern for non-governmental organisations is that the governments consultations with older people are uneven nationally although it is improving on the whole (Riseborough Jenkins, April 2004 p.13).Working in each a paid or voluntary capacity is a valuable method of keeping older people mentally and bodilyly diligent and therefore promotes them to age well. For older people themselves staying employed could also have a significant influence upon their quality of life, as it facilitates their opportunities to socialise with other older people as well as younger people. Evandrou and Glaser moot that older people could increasingly face the choice of carrying on working due to the insufficient pension levels or caring for partners or other elderly relatives (Evandrou Glaser, 2003). Contact with younger people allows those younger people the aspect to meet and understand older people, and therefore increase respect for older generations. Both the government and the non-governmental organisations, that represent the interests of older people, have found grounds that older people find it difficult to remain employed or return to the active work force due to prejudices based on ageism a progress tost them. Aside from prejudice there might be other barriers to older people being involved in the labour market, su ch(prenominal) as a lack of training facilities or restricted feeler for older people with issues around their physical capabilities. To a large extent, physical barriers to older people should be significantly reduced by the requirements of the disablement Discrimination Act. That Act requires equal access to work places and the provision of public or private services irrespective of disability and of age (Audit direction / Better Government for Older People, p.2).The concept of establishing identities and ageing well depends on more than just the prospects of older people wishing to work for longer. Estes et al are in parts highly critical of present public services for older people, whilst the first couple of chapters provide valuable insights into the way older people are commandly inadequately catered for (Estes et al, 2003). The desire of older people to work and remain active for longer is influenced by what they indirect request out life themselves as well as by the inf luence of the government and non-governmental organisations. Older people have an influence upon the ideas and the policies of the government and non-governmental organisations towards them. Older people are often an essential part of the non-governmental organisations that they belong to, and who represent their interests. Non-governmental organisations will attempt to help older people to establish their identity and advise them how to age well due to older people requesting such assistance in the first place. Older people will use non-governmental organisations to lobby the government to change governmental policies to suit their best interests when it comes to a high quality of life, an identity that enables self-esteem and enhances the prospects of ageing well. It is not governments that older people and their associated non-governmental organisations attempt to lobby, they frequently use the media to publicise their opinions or advice. Of score the influence that older people have upon government policy should logically increase throughout the 21st century as the population continues to age and the government will need older people to work longer and stay healthy for longer. As older people will make up an ever-greater percentage of the electorate the political parties that do the most to improve the quality of life older people could have the best prospects of winning general elections. In return governments will have to assist older people by making it easier to remain employed and healthy for longer as well as reducing the incidence of ageism. Reducing the doubts that people have concerning the abilities of older people is vital if prejudices are not going to embarrass the expectations of older people that the quality of their lives will be improved. The majority of the report by Bowers et al is critical of the failure of public policy to assist older people with mental health problems. The report frequently mentions the prescribed influence that n on-governmental organisations do have upon the quality of life for older people and raising their expectations (Bowers et al, 2005 p. 25).To conclude the quality of life of older people, with closely link up expectations of identity and ageing well will be and is currently influenced by government policy, the actions of the non-governmental organisations that are interested in older people, and the media. Governments will vie that the best way for older people to achieve a high quality of life is for them to help themselves by working as long as possible. Governments are encouraging people to plan for their own retirement in terms of adequate income levels, and advising them of the all public services, which are for sale to help them. Urging people to stay employed not notwithstanding prevents older people from living in poverty it raises expectations of being place as being useful and active members of society that have self-esteem and who are respected by younger people. Gove rnments have an important influence by demonstrating to society as a whole the valuable contribution that older people make to the social and economic quality of life for every body and not just for older people. Non-governmental organisations that help older people also have a strong influence over the quality of life, plus the expectations of identity and ageing well for older people. In a sense non-governmental organisations are essential for older people to gain the help and the advice they need to have a high quality of life whilst advising governments of the social and economic policies which will improve the lives of older people.BibliographyAudit Commission / Better Government for Older People Older People, independence and wellbeing The challenge for public services, Public Sector BriefingBowers H, Eastman M, Harris J, Macadam A (2005) Moving out of the Shadows A report on mental health and wellbeing in later life, Health Care Development Ltd, capital of the United Kin gdomBrooke L and Taylor P, Older workers and employment managing age relations, Ageing society 25, 2005, 415-429, Cambridge University crushed leatherDepartment of Health, A Sure Start to later life, Ending inequalities for older people, January 2006Estes, C.L. Biggs, S. and Phillipson, C. (2003), Social Theory, Social Policy and Ageing A critical introduction, cleared University Press, MaidenheadMaria Evandrou and Karen Glaser, Combining work and family life the pension penalization of care, Ageing and Society 23, 2003, 583-601, Cambridge University PressHouse of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, Improving Public Service for Older People, Twenty- Ninth Report of session 2003-04 (May 2004)Riseborough M Jenkins C (April 2004), Now you see menow you dont How are older citizens being included in regeneration? Age Concern, LondonVincent, J., Phillipson, C. Downs M., (eds) (2006) The Futures of Old Age, Sage