Evaluate The Influence Of Two Major Theories Of Ageing On Health And Social Care Provision In Relation To Mr Lee 1

Evaluate the influence of two major theories of ageing on health and social care provision in relation to Mr Lee
In this assignment I will be evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of activity and disengagement theory and how these theories can be applied to Mr Lee. When people get older they can take different approaches to aging and may have different theories that are relating to the aging process whether it being disengagement theory or activity theory. The elderly all deal with aging different, some can chose to be active or disengage themselves from society whether it being because of depression or may not deal with depression well.
Both activity theory and disengagement theory have different views and opinions on aging process. There are many services that are available for the elderly’s which aims to help the elderly stay active, socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically developed. All the developments just mentioned are very important for the elderly to keep them mentally and physically healthy which can include day centres where they can meet new people who are going through the same thing as them which will increase their social development.
Mr Lee is a 76 year old man who was married to his wife for 50 years who sadly passed away 2 years ago. They had 3 children who live close by with their families. One factor of activity theory that can be seen to influence Mr Lee’s ageing and health and social care provision is the fact that Mr Lee has always been fit and active which will increase his physically development in the sense that it will allow Mr Lee to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases, even diseases that a prone as you get older such as arthritis. In addition to this, Mr Lee works as a volunteer at the age exchange in Blackheath. which he enjoys meeting customers and participants at the shop which will expand his social development as he will get to meet new people are make new friends and it will prevent Mr Lee from feeling like he is alone, this will also increase Mr Lee’s self confidence and self-esteem due to the fact that he is still involved with society that because he has retired he should disengage from society.
However, activity theory may not apply to Mr Lee’s ageing and health and social care provision because Mr Lee has suffered with mild low back pain for the past 20 years which could prevent him from maintaining an active lifestyle and he be restricted in many things such volunteering, if he doesn’t go and get it checked out it could result in Mr Lee having to stop his volunteering and participating in workshops with schools and the university of Greenwich.
One factor of Disengagement Theory (Cumming and Henry, 1961) that can be seen to influence Mr. Lee's ageing and health and social care provision is being lonely and socially disengaged from society because as people start to get older and begin to fall in the aging processes such as mobility. Mobility can be problem such as unsteadiness whilst walking, falling or having problems getting in and out of chairs, joint problems such as arthritis. For example, Mr Lee suffers from back problems so it is very important he gets it checked whether it being as the local GP or hospital which will prevent his pains from getting worse. Also being socially isolated from society can affect self-esteem and confidence which could occur as the elderly person may not want to disturb other people with their problems and may see themselves as burdens to society so they should just disengage themselves as they think they are helping society out.
However, disengagement theory may not apply to Mr Lee’s ageing and health and social acre provision as he is very active and he volunteers with age Exchange which allows him to be involved with other people in society that are going through the same process as him.
In my conclusion, the theory that applies to Mr Lee the most is the activity theory because Mr Lee stays active and is fit and doesn’t have a problem with being restricted from social connections because he does a lot of volunteering. Mr Lee’s life, even at seventy six it is more like a middle-aged lifestyle. The disengagement theory does not apply to him as much because Mr Lee is not withdrawn or disengaging because he has a lot of family around him and is not by himself all the time, even though his wife passed away.

Even though he has had a problem with his back, it has not stopped him from going out to help out at schools and at the University of Greenwich. Physically his health is good and with him not smoking, he is giving himself a better chance to be able to stay active and fit. The disengagement theory states that it is normal if older people withdraw from social interactions but because of Mr Lee’s volunteering, he always has friends or people to speak to and this all applies to the activity theory. The activity theory is more like Mr Lee’s life than the disengagement theory because the life that he has been living does not fall into the disengagement theory.