Grandparents

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  • Created by: jesskeayy
  • Created on: 20-04-17 18:44
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  • Grandparents
    • Life phases
      • 1. Childhood- children are physically dependant on others and cannot work
      • 2. Working Adulthood- adults become independent and work for a living
      • 3. Active Retirement- Adults are fit and healthy but don't work full time
      • 4. Elderly- Adults become physically dependant on others and cannot work
    • Third age grandparents- An important source of child care. They aren't paid for the care they provide. Provide emotional and financial support, needed with high divorce rates
      • Step-grandparents are more common now due to remarriage rates. We now live in a sandwich generation. People in their 50s are now supporting their parents, their children and grandchildren
    • Families with multiple disadvantages e.g. single parent with disabled child, need grandparent for emotional, practical and financial support
    • The dark side of the family
      • Caring for the elderly- carers of the elderly are often in their 40's/50's and are employed and look after their children, aswell as the elderly. This creates strain and they may not be cared for as well as they should be
      • Elder abuse- Many older people experience loneliness and are vulnerable to depression. They are at risk from abuse from family and carers. They can be exploited for their money or harmed through neglect. Attackers are usually a family member of the elderly
    • Marxism
      • Working class grandparents have a lower life expectancy, compared with middle class grandparents
        • This is due to poorer conditions in manual labour jobs, along with poverty, poor housing and being denied access to the best care home
      • The burden of caring for the elderly affects the working class more, as they have less money and can't afford to be out of employment
    • Functionalism
      • Extended family networks can be beneficial to nuclear families, as they can support the adults in employment as well as the children's socialisation into cultural norms and values
        • However, this could cause some conflict through undermining parental authority
      • Government policies will support the care of the elderly e.g. the NHS and national pensions
    • New Right
      • It is not sexist to expect women to leave work to care for elderly relatives.  An ageing population is a female problem, as they have longer life expectancies
      • Women are naturally suited to a caring role and are better suited to leave work than men, because of lower wages
      • If grandparents supporting families leads to less families on benefits, this is positive for society
    • Feminism
      • Gender role socialisation has meant that our society expects women to take on carer roles. Women leaving work to care for relatives will reverse the progress women have made in employment, by taking care of grandchildren
      • Women will be forced out of work to then care for their elderly relatives
      • Older females are more vulnerable to elder abuse due to their longer life expectancies

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