Intergenerational views and stances on care for seniors in family

Abstract

Social and home care services are influenced by demographic changes of highly developed society conjoined with aging of the society. As the accommodation capacity of social services is limited, home care from the family members becomes more important. The aim of this thesis is to find out what are the differences in the opinions of young, middle and pre-senior population on senior care in a family. It is based on available books and internet sources dealing with the problem of old age and aging, home care and field services that can be used as support to senior home care. The theoretical part is divided into eight chapters. The first one is focused on social changes and important changes in the social roles. This chapter also describes existing myths and their devaluating influence on seniors. The following chapter aims at psychological changes in the old age, changes in perception and behaviour of the elderly. The third chapter is dealt with the higher need for faith in the old age rising out of the loss of different competences, as a response to stress and losses and in connection with the knowledge of nearness of ones death. The thesis is also focused on the state of health of the elderly. It describes physiological changes connected to the chronological age and the most common illnesses connected to higher age. Psychiatric illnesses often diagnosed in the old age are especially taken into consideration. The next chapters of the theoretical part are focused on two aspects which are tabooed by the present society ? dying and death. The thesis also describes home care for a dying person compared to the institutional one. Demographical changes in the Czech Republic are described in the next chapter. This necessarily requires considering all health and social consequences. The European Union created for this reason the Action Plan for Healthy and Worthy Ageing that could improve health and social area in future. The following chapter deals with the family of a senior representing his background and security. In case the senior is limited in his self-sufficiency, his family attends to his physical, psychical and material needs. It is the decision of a family whether to care for a senior or not in this case. But this decision is highly influenced by the pressure of the society and its demand for altruistic help opposed to its demands for career, personal growth and the developments of an individual. The last chapter of the theoretical part is aimed at home care services. Those services provide the seniors with lower self-sufficiency with help for they could stay in their homes instead of moving into the institutional facilities. Home care can be supported by different services ? nursing care, home assistance, home medical care and home hospice care. The practical part of the thesis is based on qualitative research using semi-structured interview method. The choice of the respondents was based on their economic and family status. The aim of the research was to find the differences in the opinions of different generations on the senior care in their homes done by the family members. It was proved that all respondents consider home care optimal with regard to the needs of a senior. A senior does not need to be embarrassed in his home, his privacy is not infringed and is surrounded by people he knows or is in close association to them