’intergenerational Care- Giving Relationships’’

Intergenerational Caregiving Relationships

[Name of the Student]

[Name of the Institution]

Intergenerational Caregiving Relationships

Assignment #1

Introduction

Intergenerational caregiving relationships are inevitable to be positive and productive for maintaining a healthy atmosphere within the families. Many different aspects like demographic, social, economic, ethnic, and situational contexts of the clients are important to be considered by the support workers to strengthen these relationships for better results. They should focus more on facilitating the family members to act in the right way rather than intruding their mutual family interactions by themselves. Different generations in a family act in particular dimensions throughout their lives and their ways shape the caregiving patterns in later life. This implies that they can become valuable partners with the support workers in the service delivery process. Younger, middle, and older generations, and the community as well – all represent the framework that suggests the preferred line of action for the support workers. Intergenerational caregiving relationships get strengthened by the ability of a family’s members to manage, adapt, and reorganize during the transitions that occur as possible incidents in life.

Discussion

The case study involves a family and a support worker for the aged mother. It gives an encouraging narrative of intergenerational caregiving relationships that tend to become more stable and strong with the incident happened (Savelieva et al., 2017). The female Personal Support Worker (PSW) attends the old lady and provides her with the required professional support. Moreover, the PSW understands the mutual connections between the family members. She does not take control of the situation. Instead, she facilitates the family members to adjust and adapt according to the situation. She intervenes in the situation only to reinforce the moral value of giving respect to each other so that they unconsciously carry out the respectful behavior. When Mrs. A’s daughter is on the verge of starting a quarrel with her brother, the PSW changes the mood of dialogue by taking the side of her brother. She ascertains that her brother is regularly paying visits to the aging mother, and that they together are taking good care of the grandma. The PSW begins providing the usual personal care to the old lady and prepares for her bath. As the incident proceeds, all members of the family are seen showing a mutual understanding of one another’s situations. The brother feels guilty for not being present at the right time with her mother. The sister is not persistent with her anger toward the brother; she knows his compulsion. The mother is also not complaining about why his son neglects his responsibility. It is vivid that all members are aware of the responsibility they have unto others in the family (Železná, 2018).

The family of Mrs. A demonstrates the adaptability, adjustment, and reorganization as the incident approaches its end. They are not ending up in an unsolvable conflict. Instead, the conflict that comprises the tension created by the fall of grandma in the kitchen and the subsequent worries of her daughter, PSW, and her son resolves with the confession of the “culprit”. They all make themselves fit in the new setting and display a good mental, ethical, and social behavior. The family members support each other in the transitions that have happened to their setups. Both mother and daughter are easily persuaded by the son as they know he is living separately with his family and the new setup demands for increased focus on the related duties. The son also does not blame the sister for not being with the mom at the time the incident happened. He knows her sister has a separate arrangement for life. In short, the family exhibits the approved activity concerning reciprocity and resilience (Souralová, 2016).

Conclusion

The incident represents a type of conflict that can possibly have led to damaging the intergenerational caregiving relationships between them. Yet, it proves to make their mutual bonds stronger due to their respectful, responsible, reciprocal, and resilient attitudes and behaviors toward one another. They all participate in the caregiving process and make the optimal aging happen for the old lady. The PSW provides service and support to the family according to the requirements of her profession. She knows the background of this family as well as the nature of mutual relationships between them. The son provides a valid reason for his absence, while both mother and daughter assert him for being right in his decision. It seems that things settle automatically for this family as they continue to manage changes occurring due to transitions.

Assignment #2

A recent news article describes various myths related to the aging people (Let’s start off the new year right, n.d.). These myths include that older people lose interest in outer world activities, show a lack of interest in building close relationships, contribute little to the society, and so on. Among these, the article discusses that people usually think that older people do not like sex or intimacy. This myth is associated with the perception that they have declining sexual health and activity. However, a study conducted at the University of Michigan revealed that older people are mostly interested in sex and intimacy. Nearly half of them are actively involved in this activity. In fact, sexual activity is closely associated with their overall wellbeing. The arguments are valid, as many examples support them. Studies give evidence on their validity. Pope Francis says being old is not to be ill (Old age is not an illness – Pope – The Mast Online, n.d.). Decreased opportunities for intimacy for the older may result in sexual harassment of youngsters by them (AG, n.d.).

References

AG: Retired NJ Correction Officer Charged With Paying To Have Sex With 14-Year-Old Girl. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2020, from https://www.newjerseynewsnetwork.com/story/41632678/ag-retired-nj-correction-officer-charged-with-paying-to-have-sex-with-14yearold-girl-2-charged-with-trafficking-juvenile

Let’s start off the New Year right: Let’s think about positive aging. (n.d.). Fauquier Times. Retrieved February 4, 2020, from https://www.fauquier.com/lifestyles/let-s-start-off-the-new-year-right-let-s/article_1aab50b8-37db-11ea-a9db-2741594373dc.html

Old age is not an illness – Pope – The Mast Online. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2020, from https://www.themastonline.com/2020/02/03/old-age-is-not-an-illness-pope/

Savelieva, K., Pulkki-Råback, L., Jokela, M., Hintsanen, M., Merjonen, P., Hutri-Kähönen, N., Juonala, M., Viikari, J., Raitakari, O., & Keltikangas-Järvinen, L. (2017). Intergenerational continuity in qualities of the parent-child relationship: Mediating and moderating mechanisms. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26(8), 2191–2201.

Souralová, A. (2016). New perspectives on mutual dependency in care-giving. Routledge.

Železná, L. (2018). Care-giving to grandchildren and elderly parents: Role conflict or family solidarity? Ageing & Society, 38(5), 974–994.