Social Welfare Policy Analysis: Caring for Frail Elderly People and Policies in Evolution

This is an analysis attempting to explain the challenges that affect the elderly in the society using research done in the U.S. It has well explained how people perceive the elderly and also how they are treated by the general public. However, it has also attempted in giving some solutions pertaining the challenges by giving out some ways that can be used to effectively eliminate this trend of mistreating the elderly. In addition, it has also included the role of the government in stopping the harsh treatment of the elderly and the inequalities they face. Furthermore, there are the recommendations that the government can undertake and also, we as individuals as far as this issue is concerned.

Nature of the Issue/Problem

The nature of the problem was the experience of scandals in some of the nursing homes that were expected to give good health care to the elderly. However, they attracted a high rate of investigations due to issues on poor health care, mistreating of patients and also ignorance of the old people perhaps simply because they are helpless. According to Hennessy (2008), the old people were subjected to extremely poor health conditions that were of great risks to their lives in terms of health. Workers expected to take good care of the elderly at nursing homes and also at hospitals were not responsible as this was evident from exploiting the patients, treating them badly and not being concerned about their health conditions.

There also comes in the issue of a policy that can help in improving the conditions of the elderly in our societies more so when used accordingly and which brings to an end the harsh treatment of the elderly people. On the other hand, there is an attempt in explaining the people who are involved in the different channels in trying to determine how the elderly are handled in the society. Generally, the whole analysis comprises of developed ideas, reasons, factors that affect the solutions that are geared toward improving the living conditions of the elderly, challenges that they face in the society and recommendations. According to Doty & US Department of Health and Human Services (2008), caring for the frail elderly people is a much relevant social welfare policy and practice. This comes from the elderly in the community holding a key and crucial position since they can be referred as founders of the particular community. The elderly should be shown care and extreme concern by those members who have the ability to work. In addition, we should thus unite and come up with methods and strategies that will improve their living conditions when they are alive.

Hence, the members of the public, in general, came to realize that services from many nursing homes are extremely harmful to the elderly thus risking their lives. It was concluded that the personnel expected to care for the elderly were not keen on their work as research showed that many nursing homes provide harsh treatments to the elderly. Furthermore, the fact that a lot of people do not respect them simply because they have lost judgment and influence in their lives. There is also embezzlement of funds by greedy leaders who are out there benefiting themselves in the name of the elderly people. The leaders should strictly follow the set rules and live up to expectations of the public and act according to what they promised (Kodner & Kyriacou, 2000). In addition, they should not be selfish people who dont care about others peoples welfare.

Definers of the Problem

The issue was brought to attention by people or was defined by the community at large. The community saw the essence of bringing the matter into the public arena so as to help come up with concrete solutions that will help improve the conditions the elderly (MarkleReid & Browne, 2003). The government, under U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also defined the issue because it felt that elderly people are mishandled in the society. The government was propagated by its role in making sure that the elderly are handled with respect and dignity. The U.S. government hence went an extra mile in promoting and improving the conditions of the elderly people in the society. This was done through the establishment of nursing homes and also providing good living conditions in those homes. The US government also found it important to provide crucial basic needs like education and food. In addition, the government nowadays has allocated a large kit in an attempt to help the elderly live good lives. Furthermore, the government is committed to offering moral support to the elderly by motivating them.

History of the Problem

According to Doty & US Department of Health and Human Services (2008), the issue has changed over time since there has been some improvements and increase in the number of institutions where the elderly are admitted. Why the elderly had to leave their own homes and join such institution was due to the provision of better living conditions. This had a great impact in general in the sense that the establishment of nursing homes reduced the stay in hospitals as far as the elderly people were concerned. In some days earlier, the issue of the elderly care was not a concern to the government and the society simply because they took it lightly without showing commitment or care to the elderly in the society. However, with time the government, the public and also private organizations came to embrace the idea of incorporating and helping the elderly in the best way possible. This has been promoting the spirit of togetherness and oneness in the community.

Why No Steps were taken to address the Issue

The government of U.S under its care system had the will to incorporate problems of elderly people with incomes and savings above Medicaid eligibility levels which needed extra money for the efficient running of the nursing home care (Hennessy, 2008). However, the federal health authorities in the era of Reagan Administration was not willing to offer income-related tax subsidies to enhance the growth of private long-term care insurance and savings plans. In addition, another challenge was that private long-term care insurance no longer supported the proposal of tax subsidies that would probably stimulate insurance purchase or savings plans. Therefore, due to these doubts, the Reagan Administration never formally took a position in favor of tax subsidies for private financing mechanisms.

Social Welfare Policy Related to the Problem

On examining the existing social welfare policy that is closely related to my select topic, there has been a formulation of several fundraising events that are meant and geared to help the elderly in the community. This is a technique or a methodology that has been used and thought to help the elderly in the community. The reason as to why formulation came in was because it would unite everyone in the community. In addition, fundraisings will automatically strengthen the cohesion between people as they will come together in an attempt to raise funds in helping the elderly. Such acts attract the private organizations and politicians together with other government agencies which all aims at making the lives of the elderly better and bearable. These resources are used to build and help the elderly both morally and financially. Hence the policy has really worked out for the good of everyone in the society. Such welfare policies are helpful in that they reduce the burden to the family members who have been straining to support the elderly alone. At the end of the day everyone lives with peace without being mistreated (Kodner & Kyriacou, 2000).

Initiators of the Policy into Practice

According to Doty & US Department of Health and Human Services (2008), youths came up or initiated the policy of raising funds in aid of the elderly in the community. This can be seen from the fact that they were willing to come up with a project that will see them helping out the community or simply giving back to the community by providing the elderly with basic needs. The youths felt the need and were motivated in coming up with a policy that aimed at catering for the elderly in the society. They were guided by the media analyses that a good number of old people out there are suffering because they lack someone to offer care. The media took random visits in various homes and they found that many are neglected at homes where they suffer silently (Hennessy, 2008). The government also provided adequate information as far as the elderly people are concerned. It took visits that were meant to research on the actual ways that the elderly are treated in the communities using methods like questionnaires and observations. The youths thus got these reports from the government that later helped them in knowing the proper ways of handling this issue. For example, in every home, there were two elderly people that were not fully healthy and this meant that they needed someone to take care of them or an organization to do so.

A good number of initiators were from the ministry of health. Thus, they had adequate knowledge on the elderly and also the steps that the government is taking to solve this issue (MarkleReid & Browne, 2003). Therefore, by collecting this information, the youths were in a perfect position to be able to address the issue to the fullest. Later the initiators gave and suggested recommendations that the youths embraced and saw the need to put the idea into practice. Afterward, the youths decided on raising funds to help and attempt to provide the basic commodities like shelter and food for the elderly which was a way to improve their lives. This activity provided to the government and caregivers in the society the ideas of coming up with funds. All this were attempts to improve the living conditions of the elderly.

Costs, Benefits, and Outcomes of the Enforced Policy

In an attempt to discuss the costs and benefits of the enforced policy, it has really made life easier and enjoyable for the elderly in the society as it provides adequate financial resources to them (Kodner & Kyriacou, 2000). By this, they can settle bills like water, rent and electricity and also buy basic requirements like medicine. In addition, the funds enable them to afford balanced diets that greatly strengthen their immune systems. This has been achieved by people coming together and uniting. However, the youth also find it hard in operating this policy because of lack of funds. Hence this turns to be costly and leads to incurring other expenses. Thus, there is need to support each other as it is a call for each and everyone in the community to join hands. This enforced policy also helps in minimizing and waving work that the government ought to have done since helping the elderly is its responsibility. However, the government needs not to be reluctant in fulfilling its responsibility.

Opposition from some leaders and unethicality has arisen in the society who are only interested in gaining resources for their own use and they are not concerned for the welfare of others (Doty & US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). They organize funds for their own benefit thus ignoring the weak and the old. Leaders should be in a position to shun of these malpractices as they are enemies of progress in our societies. Lack of responsible leaders is another great challenge that the policy faces. At times, there is also opposition from other leaders who feel that this policy should not be raised or developed in the community. Such leaders reject and oppose every idea meant to help the elderly in the community thus stagnating development and growth. Everyone should be in a positi...