Threats facing cloud security and how to counter them Writing Assignment #2The Four-SourceEssay: Basic Synthesis Summary of assignment• Task: The four-source essay asks you to synthesize the arguments

                                                                   Challenges Facing Women in Long-term Care                            

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           Population aging and longevity has fast become a challenge in both developed and developing nations across the world. As a result, such a population must be provided with long-term care services as they cope with their declining years so that they can feel loved. To achieve this, children or relatives and friends of the aged parent are likely to opt for home care, with or without the provision of support services or opt for nursing homes. Generally, the aging process differs from one individual to the other but, more importantly, from one gender to the other. In other words, health issues seem to affect men more than women at old age, although women seem fragile and disabled. Because of this, there are unique challenges older women under the care of caregivers are likely to face as opposed to men.

          Time and again, the elderly have been exposed to violence in the hands of the caregivers across the world, and it occurs at epidemic proportions. However, the worst hit group by the abuse from caregivers are women. In most cases, the perpetrators of violence against older women are people who are close family members and relatives who have been charged with the responsibility of taking care of them (Malmedal et al.,2015). Although in most cases, the abuse meted on older women cannot be defined as such, it is usually perpetrated in subtly, making it hard to differentiate between the daily interpersonal stress and ill-treatment. In worse instances, older women have been sexually abused by their caregivers while in nursing homes, leaving them highly traumatized. However, when it comes to family context, the psychological and physical violence meted on women may compose a relationship pattern, which mostly arises when the victim is unable to take care of themselves. Although some countries have instituted public health policies to curb this issue, it is still prevalent.

          The fact that women are less affected by old age as compared to men makes them turn to give care to their spouses while in long term care services. In most cases, there are more cases of women in long-term care being reported to be able to carry out most activities on their own as compared to men because there is a substantial difference in their health. Such instances force frail older women under long term care to embark on taking care of their spouses risking themselves. According to a study, an estimated 45 percent of older men reported that they cannot carry out necessary activities on their own, whereas 35 percent of older women reported that they cannot carry out essential activities without much assistance (Pohl et al.,2015). Some quarters contend that old age is a women’s affair. To some extent, this may be true because more women tend to extend help to their aged and dying partners, even in-home settings forgetting about themselves. Similarly, there are more female caregivers in nursing homes as compared to men making caregiving a purely feminine affair.

          Women under long term care are likely to have unstable income as compared to their male counterparts. In general, the economic status of older people of the aged has significantly improved. However, there are some differences in income among the genders as older men have better streams of income as compared to older women. Because of relatively stable income, older men are likely not to receive better care whether in nursing homes or under the care of their immediate family members as compared to women (Woodhead et al.,2016). In the United States, poverty is prevalent among older women and some minority groups comprising of blacks and Hispanics. As a result, more older women have been reported to be in poor health under their caregivers. According to studies, the number of women reporting function impairments while under long term caregivers is common among women as compared to older men because men have the backing of financial might to help them get better medical care. Therefore, the projected growth of the elderly in the near future calls for adequate income on the part of women so that such disparities do not arise.

          Furthermore, women in long term care are likely to encounter a lack of spouse presence because of death. The current life expectancies for men and women stand at 76 years and 81 years, respectively. Because of their relatively long life expectancy associated with women and the fact that they tend to get married early to older men, it is estimated that at least out of 10 Baby Boomers, at least seven are likely to outlive their husbands (Chrisler et al.,2016). So, it is not strange for a woman to undergo widowhood for between 10-20 years. The long life expectancy may sometimes be dubbed as a blessing, but in some instances, it is a challenging life that is defined by disability issues for women. As a result, such women end up in long term care facilities or life plan community. Coupled with the absence of their spouse, and women are likely to find it challenging to stay in such facilities. To put it more simply, more elderly women are likely to find their way to nursing homes but find it ‘inhabitable’ because of their missing partners.

          Women are likely to be faced with family issues in their old age. As mentioned earlier, women tend to live longer than men. Therefore, most women are left with the burden of handling family issues even when under the care of caregivers. For instance, older women who are widows are forced to deal with the problem of providing for the same caregivers who, in most cases, are adults (Anjos et al.,2015). Of course, one may not see a problem with this, but such habits have significantly impacted on the assets of the elderly. Again, widowed older women may be forced to move in with their children. To any parent, this kind of arrangement may appear weird because they must prepare themselves to receive care from their children instead of giving it.

          Besides economic equalities, political, health, and legal structures have adverse effects on the financial security of older women. Upon the death of their spouses, some widows may be denied the right to access the property left behind. Usually, such resistance is perpetrated by people who are supposed to be their givers like their children, grandchildren, and close relatives. In some countries, some laws have historically pulled down women like inheritance laws that are keen on ensuring that daughters do not inherit as much as their brothers and that mothers get less than their children (Eboiyehi & Akinyemi,2016). Therefore, under such circumstances, older women are likely to face exclusion being meted on them by their immediate caregivers who happen to be their children and even grandchildren.

          Older women do not have the freedom to make decisions that affect them. The moment an older person, especially a woman for that matter, is handed over to a nursing home, they lose the freedom to make significant decisions that may affect their health and general happiness (De Sousa,2015). Nursing homes may offer the best care, but the happiness of the occupants should come first so that the old can enjoy their lasts with dignity. Such kind of setting is likely to do more harm than good because the aging parents may feel uncomfortable spending time around busy nurses who are more concerned with performing their daily chores. Therefore, the elderly should be taken care of from their homes surrounded by their children, friends, and relatives and be given some of the major decisions in regards to their health.

          To wrap up, this paper has illustrated the unique challenges that are faced by older women in long term care. First, older women who should be under caregivers mostly turn to give their partners care, which they should be receiving. According to a study, older women can carry most activities on their own as opposed to their men counterparts. Also, the issue of income disparity has led to older men receiving better care in the hands of caregivers as compared to older women. Women are also likely to feel lonely as a result of a spouse’s death making their stay in nursing homes uncomfortable. According to studies, women are likely to be widowed than men are to be widowed. In addition, older women are expected to suffer sexual, mental, and physical abuse from their caregivers who happen to be their close relatives besides being burdened with the responsibility of taking care of the family. Lastly, the elderly are deprived off the freedom to make decisions while under long-term care.

                                                                                             Reference

Anjos, K. F. D., Boery, R. N. S. D. O., Pereira, R., Pedreira, L. C., Vilela, A. B. A., Santos, V. C., & Rosa, D. D. O. S. (2015). Association between social support and quality of life of relative caregivers of elderly dependents. Ciencia & saude coletiva, 20, 1321-1330.

Chrisler, J. C., Barney, A., & Palatino, B. (2016). Ageism can be hazardous to women's health: ageism, sexism, and stereotypes of older women in the healthcare system. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 86-104.

De Sousa, A. (2015). Do Indian social norms curb freedom of our elderly in an old age home? Journal of Geriatric Mental Health, 2(2), 118.

Eboiyehi, F. A., & Akinyemi, A. I. (2016). We are strangers in our homes: older widows and property inheritance among the Esan of South-South Nigeria. International Journal on Ageing in Developing Countries, 1(2), 90-112.

Greve, B. (Ed.). (2016). Long-term care for the elderly in Europe: Development and prospects. Taylor & Francis.

Malmedal, W., Iversen, M. H., & Kilvik, A. (2015). Sexual abuse of older nursing home residents: A literature review. Nursing Research and Practice, 2015.

Pohl, P., Sandlund, M., Ahlgren, C., Bergvall-Kåreborn, B., Lundin-Olsson, L., & Wikman, A. M. (2015). Fall risk awareness and safety precautions taken by older community-dwelling women and men—A qualitative study using focus group discussions. PLoS one, 10(3).

Woodhead, E. L., Northrop, L., & Edelstein, B. (2016). Stress, social support, and burnout among long-term care nursing staff. Journal of applied gerontology, 35(1), 84-105.