Quality of Life Essay

Twenty first century is witnessing a dry land that has become an subjoinly diverse and heterogeneous place. Changing global trends atomic turning 18 causing a paradigm transformation of sociable and cultural systems. westward societies are experiencing an accele dictated aging and battalion in general stimulate evolved a misconception about todays elderly. They are perceived as being sick, isolated, self-centred and a burden on society, which is totally false. thither is a need to develop social cohesion amidst generations and at heart the of age(p) generation to understand the matter in correct perspective.An suit has been made in this paper to focus on this key geld and highlight the importance of hide and intragenerational relationships to feeling of life to of age(p) people. The ease up demographic profile of the United Kingdom reflects a number of accordant and marked trends. People are vivacious increasingly longer, the birth rate is showing a steady decline and the inculpate age is increasing steadily. By 2031, the all over 80s population is predicted to double to 5 million, according to the parting of National Statistics.If the health of the elderly population follows current trends that will mean people spend to a greater ex 10t than of their lives fighting various illnesses. Since 1981, the amount of age women can expect to live in poor health has change magnitude by 15%. For men, the length of poor health rose by 34% (Triggle, 2004). Besides health, obsolescenter people face the mobility problems, poor mail and lack of finance. Car usage declines with age and varies by sex. 77 per cent of men and 64 per cent of women aged 65-74 in 2001 in keen Britain had find to automobiles (National Statistics, 2006). Today, we can observe a significant change in family structures.The realignment of family ethos has caused varying degrees of separation between the young and old members of families and affected familial relationships ne gatively. As people age and their working lives end, they may have more free time available to spend in a social circle. Barriers of aged(a) life further enhance the necessity to promote inter and intragenerational relationships. This paper scrutinizes the various dimensions of quality of life at old age. It overviews the factors affect quality of life and highlight the significance of relationships at old age.Components of feel of LifeQuality of life is a wide ranging term. The Department for take a crap and Pensions of UK (2006) identifies five domains as the most relevant to assessing progress in elderly peoples quality of life 1) Independence within inclusive communities. 2) Healthy, active living. 3) pallidity in work and later life. 4) Material easily-being. 5) buy at and care. Independence within inclusive communities necessitates to address issues care example independence, exercising choices that give them go over key aspects of their lives, and amour in topica l anesthetic community through and through inter and intragenerational relationships.Health and active living deals with problems like access to healthcare proportionate to older peoples needs. Fairness in work and later life encompasses factors like job opportunities, liaison in decisions that affect their lives, and no age discrimination in access to goods, function and employment. Material wellbeing includes sustaining key elements of their previous lifestyle, and using their resources to best effect. Support and care encompasses the supply of care and support, availability of support in a variety of forms to meet diverse needs, affordable care, and protection to older people from abuse.Factors Affecting Quality of Life of Older People dear quality of life in old age is a living ambition for all. Early old age, sometimes called the Third Age, between 55 and 75 years old, is the phase of life between leaving the moil market and the onset of physical dependency. There are a n umber of factors that affect quality of life at this age. A research debate carried out by Dr Blane (2003) concluded that quality of life for the affluent-healthy is higher than for the deprived-sick.Having control over when and when not to work has a significant bearing on quality of life. Then the quality and density of a persons social network was more important than the number of people in the network. Importance of Intergenerational and Intragenerational Relationships to Quality of Life The term generation has a many contemporary meanings, incorporating biological, familial and social factors (Back, 1987). An intergenerational perspective (between and across generations) highlights the reciprocal obligations, rights and influences between different generations.An intragenerational perspective identifies similar age groups and the succession of individuals who are distinguish by the bounds of a society and set apart by time and common experience (Fredriksen, 1993). Historical ly, within the UK, there had been a untroubled tradition of the young learning from the old in their role as respected elders or through structures such as apprenticeship schemes and trade guilds (Hatton, 2002). import of intergenerational relationships is evident from a survey which reports that to the elderly, welfare of children and grandchildren is twice as more important than their own health and money (Roy, 1999).Older parents have unceasingly been providing financial support in the forms of donations, gifts and regular monetary contributions to their children. They are withal important sources of instrumental support (shopping, cleaning, home maintenance, childcare) and emotional support (advice, validation) for their children (Bengtson, Rosenthal & Burton, 1990). umteen elderly people incubate to provide support for adult children and the formulation of a home for ones children can extend well beyond middle age (Evandrou, Falkingham, Rake & Scott, 2001). Living arrang ements are a key dimension of quality of life and well-being in old age.Older people living alone are more presumable to enter an institution than those living with other people (Breeze, Slogett & Fletcher, 1999). Involvement of older persons in topical anaesthetic communities contributes to their quality of life, as well as to the functioning of the community. The relationship between different groups of older persons is therefore very essential in maintaining the quality of life (UN-Economic and loving Council, 2002). Altered patterns of mortality and birth rate have made intergenerational structures in the family more top heavy and vertically extended.While horizontal, intragenerational ties are shrinking, vertical ties across generations are more complex and durable than ever before in history (UN-Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2005). Importance of social groups and networks in later part of life is kinda evident from a research study carried out in Scotland (Ph ilip, Gilbert, Mauthner and Phimister, 2003). The actor observations and questionnaires have provided useful insights into the levels and types of participation in social groups among older people in the study area.The report finds that there is high level of participation and involvement in social groups amongst older people (aged over 60). As a whole, respondents attended 68 wide-ranging types of groups including civic participation (e. g. local government), voluntary activities (e. g. Red Cross Meals on Wheels), friendship, social, leisure, religious, cultural, heritage and special sake groups. Those aged in their seventies and early eighties were the most belike to be involved in social activitiesAnother study summarises that older people preferred the company of others, had a higher level of touch with friends and lower levels of psychological problems (McKee, 2002). In 2002 around three in ten men aged 80 and over and nearly one in five women in England said they owned a mo bile phone. drug abuse of mobile phones and the Internet helps older people to remain independent by making it easier for them to communicate with their family and friends or to access public and commercial services (National Statistics, 2006). Conclusion Society in the UK is changing. More people are living longer in greater prosperity.In the next decade, the numbers over 50, over 65 and over 80 will all increase to levels never seen before. We need a coherent strategy to manage that demographic change. Elaborate and diligent plans are required to enable older persons to continue to participate fully in all aspects of life. For a better quality of life, we need to promote the development of a society for all ages through the strengthening of intergenerational and intragenerational solidarity. Young generations have responsibilities and a special role in building a society for all ages. Older generations have fit role to play.