Introduction
Gerontology is the science that studies the aging processes and age-related changes. With the growing number of older adults, aging is becoming increasingly relevant. Despite progress in medicine and science, many challenges related to gerontology still need to be addressed.
Challenges in Gerontology
Policy Challenges
One of the main challenges of gerontology is changing policies related to caring for older adults. In many countries, there is a need to improve the care system for older people so that they can maintain their independence and live a full life. Policies should include access to medical care, social support, financial assistance, and care for older people at home.
Shortage of Service Providers
Another problem in gerontology is the need for more service providers (Phillipson, 2020). Every day, there is a growing number of older adults who need to be serviced, and there are often not enough specialists to provide them with care. Also, services are often unavailable to more senior people due to high costs or a lack of necessary resources.
Need for Provider Education and Training
The education of service providers is another problem related to gerontology (Phillipson, 2020). To ensure quality care for older people, it is necessary to have trained specialists who understand the peculiarities of aging and can provide the required services. However, obtaining the appropriate education or training is only sometimes possible.
The Growing Importance of Gerontology
Despite all these challenges, gerontology is an area that is becoming increasingly important for society. Older adults are becoming an increasingly significant part of our society and need to be given greater priority. At the same time, some stigma is associated with aging, which can hinder people’s understanding of its importance.
Conclusion
Overall, society responds differently to the problems of gerontology. Some people understand that older adults need help and support, while others do not feel the need for it. However, more and more people realize that gerontology is an important area that deserves more attention.
Reference
Phillipson, C. (2020). Globalization and the reconstruction of old age: New challenges for critical gerontology. In S. Biggs, J. Hendrcks & A. Lowenstein (Eds.), The need for theory (pp. 163-179). Routledge.