People in Later Life

Abstract

The aim of this book is to foster good social work practice with elderly people and their families. It is addressed primarily to social workers and social work aides but may be useful to those working in residential and day care settings and those supporting social care in the community. The first chapter sets out to clarify our understanding of vulnerable elderly people in relation to their families. It is recognised that old people and their families are disadvantaged in the amount of care and attention paid to them by social workers as most social work time is spent on children and young families. There are compelling societal priorities and pressures to carry out policies of child protection. However, some of the disinterest of social workers reflects the inherent ageism in our society. In general old people who are becoming vulnerable in some way, are left to carry on coping with the assistance of family, friends, or neighbours, and most receive minimal help from outside welfare agencies. For example, only 34 per cent of the most severely disabled elderly people receive a home help (Victor, 1983, p. 303). Government policy extols the virtue and normality of family care (DHSS, 1981) but does not underpin the policy with sufficient resources.