The Social Problem of Old Age: Isolation and Family Ties

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  • This article explores the social problem of old age and the issue of isolation. It discusses the life of one individual who represents the challenges faced by many elderly people, including bereavement, lack of family support, infirmity, and social ostracism. The article raises questions about the extent of this problem in society and the changing role of families in providing care for the elderly. It emphasizes the need for more research and understanding of the role of relatives in supporting older adults.
  • The issue of provision for old age has become a problem due to the weakening of family ties and the emphasis on individual rights over obligations. Families used to take responsibility for their elderly members, but now they rely on the state for care. This article argues that the separation of older adults from their kin is a characteristic of industrialized societies, but questions whether this is true in Britain. It highlights the importance of studying the bonds of kinship and the role of relatives in supporting the elderly.
  • A pioneering study in Wolverhampton revealed the significant role played by relatives in caring for older people. However, there is still limited knowledge about their role and the extent of their influence. This article calls for more research to gain a better understanding of the factors contributing to the isolation of older adults and the impact of family support.
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この英文の和訳お願いします。　難しいです。

I have chosen to begin this book with a description of the life of this one individual because he typifies what so many observers regard as the social "problem" of old age. In his case we would find it impossible to ignore the crucial facts of bereavement, absence of children and other relatives, infirmity, and virtual social ostracism. If we mean anything by isolation from society he must be the sort of person we keep in mind. But is he exception or rule? Are there many others like him in our society? Many sociologists and administrators believe there are. One administrator expressed it in these terms: Provision for old age has emerged as a "problem" largely because of the loosening of family ties and insistence on individual rights and privileges to the exclusion of obligations and duties which has developed so markedly in recent years. Whereas families used to accept responsibility for their old people they now expect the State to look after them. The care and attention which the family used to provide for them must be provided in some other way. The separation from kin is supposed to be one of the features which serves to differentiate the industrial from the so-called primitive societies. But do old people in Britain lose touch with their married children and lead an isolated life? Are the bonds of kinship of little or no consequence especially in urban areas? We have only to pose these questions to realize the meed for more facts. What few there are do not confirm many current suppositions. Sheldon, in a pioneering study, drew attention to the important part played by relatives of old people in Wolverhampton and said that too little was known about their role.

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  • ddeana
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回答No.1

私はこの一人の人間の人生を描写することからこの本を始めることにしました。なぜなら彼は多くの観察者が高齢者の社会的「問題」とみなしている事柄の代表例だからです。彼のケースにおいて、私たちは近親者との死別、子供や親族のいないこと、（老齢による）慢性病、実質的な社会からの追放といったきわめて重大な事実を無視できないということを知るでしょう。もし私たちが地域社会からの隔離による何かを指すのであれば、彼は間違いなく私たちが心に留めておく種類の人間です。しかし彼のケースは例外や（何かの）法則でしょうか？　私たちの社会には彼のような人間が他に沢山いるのでしょうか？　多くの社会学者や行政官はそうだと信じています。一人の行政官はそれを次のような表現で述べました。 高齢者に対する対策は、家族の絆が弱くなってきたこと、個人的権利の主張、近年著しく問題となってきた義理人情の排除にたいする免責感などの為に大きく「問題」として浮かび上がってきました。かつて家族が年老いた彼らの家族にたいする責任を受け入れていたのに対し、現在彼らは国家が面倒を見るものだと本気で考えています。かつて家族が与えていた世話や思いやりはいくつか他の方法で（高齢者に）提供されなければなりません。 親族との別居は原始社会の時代から産業を差別化するのに寄与する機能のひとつとされています。しかしイギリスの年老いた人々は結婚した子供たちとの接触を失い、孤立した生活を過ごすのですか？　特に都市部において親族の絆はまったく重大性がないのでしょうか？　私たちはより多くの事実の値打ち（※1）を認識するために、ただこれらの疑問点を突きつけなければなりません。現在の沢山の推測を裏付ける何かがあるわけではありません。 先駆的研究においてシェルドン（※2）はウルバーハンプトンにおいて高齢者の親族が果たした重要な役割に注目し、彼らの役割についてあまりにも知られていないと述べています。 ※1：この場合は何かをした結果当然受け取るべき悪いほうの値打ちと考えます。 ※2：社会的責任論を論じた、O・sheldonのことかと考えます。 _＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ 日本でも人事とはいえない重いテーマですが、考えさせながら訳させていただきました。

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