In the field of religion, elders can conduct ceremonies or perform priestly functions. And, in some societies, it is believed that the elderly do. And, in some societies, the elderly are believed to have magical or mystical powers. The ageing of the population continues to pose an increasing demand for health services in Sri Lanka. As the elderly survive, more years are expected, a multitude of serious consequences that increase the unmet need for medical care.
As we age, the risks of diminished physical health and sensory and cognitive abilities increase, requiring meeting mental health, long-term care, support and rehabilitation needs. Old age has a double definition. It is the last stage of an individual's vital processes, and is an age group or generation that comprises a segment of the oldest members of a population. The social aspects of old age are influenced by the relationship between the physiological effects of aging and the collective experiences and shared values of that generation with the particular organization of the society in which it exists. While families have traditionally provided emotional support and helped their older members with household and personal care tasks, family caregivers now provide home health and medical care, face complex and fragmented health care and LTSS, and play a surrogate role that has legal implications.
The common factor in the intermediate or late stages of the care trajectory is the expansion and increase in the complexity and intensity of the caregiver's roles and responsibilities. In populations where people receiving care become increasingly disabled over time, for example, with increased frailty, dementia, Parkinson's disease or advanced cancer, the role of the caregiver is expanded accordingly. The special roles of older people also include being authority figures, such as the head of a family group or a political leader. While data suggests that family caregivers can play an important role in mistreating older people when they occur, there is no adequate data to address this problem.
One of the most recurring themes in the literature on the health effects of caregivers concerns the role of pressure exerted by caregivers in predicting negative health effects (Schulz et al. This chapter examines the multiple and changing roles of caregivers of older adults and the impact of assuming these roles on the health and well-being of caregivers. Although the role of the caregiver is highly variable over time, different phases in the caregiver's trajectory can be distinguished when the function is considered longitudinally. The scope, time commitment and complexity of the family care function make it unique in the care of older adults.
A more convincing argument in favor of the causal relationship between care provision and psychological distress, for example, can be drawn from longitudinal studies in which people are followed up during and after the role of caregiver. People don't provide care in isolation from other roles and responsibilities in their lives. As advocates, their role is to identify and help care recipients obtain necessary community and health care resources.
