The active cycle is a time in a person's life when he or she is at his or her peak in terms of fitness and vigor. However, as they age, the elderly face a slew of new obstacles in their attempt to maintain the lifestyle they once enjoyed in their youth. Aside from those of the elderly in society forging a colorful life and profession during their energetic years, aging represents a different stage of life (Congress, 2013).
The Challenges of Aging
The older a person gets, the more difficult it is to maintain and make new friends. The idea that the elderly may not want friends is intriguing, but it deprives the elderly of a means of companionship, contributing to isolation and solitude. Similarly, the former face a problem of finding new jobs as the majority of them are unable to have ample platforms for fending for themselves and the extended families at their disposal (Congress, 2013). Besides, the society perceives the old as invisible. The aging population is invisible as underlined by the fact that they are rarely acknowledged though they played significant roles during their youthful years about societal activities. Thus, the aged face stigmatization following the neglect and related lack of financial capabilities. Race, social class, and gender identity played a critical role in determining kind of life lived by an aging individual. For instance, the aged who come from the low social class are unemployed, yet they play the parental role of upbringing the grandchildren as compared to their wealthy counterparts who live a stress-free life (Congress, 2013).The Role of Human Service Providers
The human service providers need to pay close attention to several aspects such as the need to ensure people have a retirement plan to enable them to prepare adequately for the post-working years (Congress, 2013). Moreover, the service providers should underline the need to maintain healthy family relations to ensure the aging do not live a life of solitude. What kind of life would you cherish during your post-retirement years?References
Congress, P. E. (2013). Multicultural Perspectives in Social Work Practice with Families . New York: Springer Publishers.
