Social Care Staff Need example essay topic

This Assignment discusses the issues relating to the admission of an older person into residential care. I will consider the ways in which residential staff, field work staff and other concerned individuals can influence the process so as to make it as positive an experience as possible for the older person concerned. Relocation is a widely studied life event of later life as it often effects older people (A rmer 1996) and of the various types of relocation, transition into the care and environment of a residential home has been highlighted as the most significant (Lee 2002). To varying degrees, admission to a residential care home has been found to evoke feelings of abandonment, stress and uncertainty, loss of home and loss of social networks (Brooke 1989, Mikhail 1992). It is therefore important to understand the impact of change on an individual so as to be able to support them to minimise negative aspects and promote positive experiences.

Residential and fieldwork staff who may be involved in the admission process need to be aware of oppression and discrimination faced by older people. Thompson (1998) states that a fundamental basis for social work with older people must be the need to work consistently within a context of anti-ageist practice. There is currently no specific legislation to cover discrimination on the basis of age. This is in part due to the fact that ageism is a relatively new concept. "Discrimination the grounds of age is a relatively new addition to anti-discriminatory discourse". (Thompson 1997, pg 18) Ageism is the term used to describe discrimination on the basis of age and is associated with the attachment of negative stereotypes to older people.

The Collins Dictionary of Social Work (1999) defines ageism as: "a prejudicial approach towards people that implies inferiority on the basis of age". (pg 12) Thompson (1997) states that ageism is not just a process of maturation but is also a social division. Older people are viewed as a homogenous group and many assumptions are made about them. Some of these include old people are lonely, ill, childlike, useless, asexual, unintelligent and poor. These judgements affect the way older people are treated by society and can lead to discrimination and oppression.

There are guidance documents available that discuss ageism and present good practice guidelines to prevent this. A good example is the National Service Framework for Older People (NSF) (Department of Health 2001). This document sets out good practice with regard to working with older people and suggests ways in which ageism can be combated. Standard one of the NSF is entitled Rooting out age discrimination and states that the NHS will provide care regardless of age and Social Care Services will not use age to restrict access to available services and Standard Two sets out criteria for person centred care and promotes choice.

So to help combat the effects of ageism, social care staff need to support people to retain as much control as possible aver their life and remove as many barriers to a good quality life as possible (Thompson 1998). This is in part achieved by promoting peoples rights within the residential care setting. The Centre for the Policy on Ageing published a document entitled "a Better Life" (1996) and this is essentially a code of good practice for residential and nursing care. It states ten principles underlying daily life. These are: respect for privacy and dignity, maintenance of self-esteem, fostering of independence, choice and control, recognition of diversity and individuality, expression of beliefs, safety, responsible risk-taking, citizen's rights, sustaining relationships and opportunities for leisure (CPA 1996). However Lee et al (1999) highlights that the transition into a communal living environment places certain tensions and constraints on individuals rights and demands.

The Centre for Policy on Ageing also accept this is the case and so their guidance takes these factors into account.