Mental Illness In Older Adults Essay

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The sociology of mental illness is an extensive topic, one in which various complex, diverse, and intellectual theories interrelate. However, Annette Lane focuses upon the issues associated with older adults who are suffering from a mental illness. Furthermore, these issues are related directly to the process these adults go through when they need to be transferred from a hospitals mental health unit, into a nursing home or assisted living facility (Lane 2010:1). Lane believes that the stigma associated with mentally ill older adults, alters the way many workers within these institutions decide on whom to accept into their facilities. Rather than these employees being open minded, and accepting of older adults with mental illnesses, Lane informs …show more content…

Lane and her co-authors describe in detail the process workers go through in order to figure out the best placement option for an older adult suffering from a mental illness. With this, we are able to better understand how the overall theory of stigma associated with mentally ill older adults, interrelates with the social constructions society has formed over time. Conversely, as readers, we are informed that society has composed specific social constructions, ones in which stigmas revolve around. Based off of an older adults needs, personality characteristics, problems, and behaviours, nursing homes are reluctant on accepting these women and men into their homes (Lane: 2010:3). Throughout this, I have come to the conclusion that Lane is allowing readers to view her aspect on how this pressing issue relates directly to mental illness. Her theory is that the stigma associated with mentally ill older adults, results in the subjective ideas many nursing home workers have implanted in their

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