Health and social care is anchored on the philosophy of sociology, which is about inclusiveness, social cohesion, social administration and wealth distribution to all citizens of the state as appropriate. And since the inception of universal services, sociology has even broadened its scope and definition, which has surpassed the widely held empirical and academic theories of the subject. In the light of that, the contemporary understanding of the theme is now comprising different cultures, traditions and learning from around the world to promote social diversity. This opportunity is endeavoured to advance health and social lives of the wider community, assimilation and co-habitation in society of all populations.
However, recent government policies have deflected some of the fabrics and meaning of applied sociology and what it stands for in a wider context of health and community wellbeing, in particular the needs for the aged people in society. It could be argued that recent micro and macroeconomic down-turns have brought about new interpretations of the conceptual framework as one of the measures to manage the nation’s debt (the big society agenda). Nevertheless, this perspective is not new, society already exists and functions in different cardinal points such as individualism, capitalism, consumerism and voluntarism in order to produce and deliver social goods. From every count, this philosophical discourse has resonated the conflict between current interpretation of sociology and universal services; in particular the perception held about older people in society.
The present day health and social care philosophies for older people is now at the centre of political treatise hence the aged are the highest consumers of the welfare services. In view of these assertions; long-term policies on capacity and resource planning for the elderly people have been erratic and short lived. This however, tantamount to tunnel vision, which could be a problem for the wider society in future if longstanding strategies are not developed. We live in an ageing society where a significant majority would need health and, or social care yet; the support systems in place is drastically declining because of changing behaviours, values and societal norms of smaller family units. In contrast, universal services originated from “sociology”, as this epitomises the birth of social administration. Nonetheless, the question is; “what is the inter-relationship between; sociology, welfare state and the “Big Society” agenda?”
Historically, “sociology” is about the understanding of social lives and behaviours, especially in relation to social systems, how they work, how they change, the consequences that society produces and their complex relationships to peoples’ lives and how they inter-relate. For example, different parts of society submerge to a completely different setting and fused themselves to deliver welfare services to older people and other vulnerable people in the community. Practice observations indicate that sociology and welfare systems are intertwined as the main focus is to integrate norms and values to facilitate community and psychosocial wellbeing of those in society, who rely on others for their functional activities of daily living. Universal service must be seen in context of a whole systems approach, how that impacted on other sub-systems therefore, any derailment within the system collapses the entire cell. Thus, sociology examines the epistemological and ontological issues affecting all parts of the system, such as the welfare services and its contribution to the maintenance of health and social care; in particular the aged.
We should be mindful, though broader interpretations of the subject divulge that individual situation or problems within the wider community could become a public issue. But, when that is inter-related with another pattern it could produce pressure groups, which might destabilise the set values and foundations of the system if not handled properly. Therefore, the growth of older people and political interference in health/social care could endanger the outlook for strategic planning and continuing care management. On reflection, low morals within the care profession and the wider health care sectors could disenfranchise the entire welfare services. Based on the contemporary structural adjustments in the organisations and community services providers, it would be assumed that sociology and its wider remits have taken a different turn to embrace neo-political indulgences.
New geo-political dispensations meant that the current sociological concepts engaged dual frameworks; legislation (Laws) and policies (individualism) as social norms (the “Big Society”) and some of the principles clash with sociological understanding. This dictates a range of different values existing in society and has to be tolerated because; people have different types of rights from one another. It is undisputable that individuals are unique and hold different views, values and practice. However, current government approaches show discernment against older people within the wider society. Their services are in contrast with other service users’ groups whilst funding for services cannot be compared. Realistically, this is what I call “positive discrimination against the aged” and unfortunately, there is no apex of the wider society that is able to challenge or speak against the plight of this client group.
Sociology promotes life changes and an equal society, where people and services integrate to acquire new knowledge and develop an acceptable behaviour in the environment around them. The quintessence of the welfare service was to cater for the frail older people and other vulnerable people in society. In contrast, the post-modern interpretation of the system has discarded the link between sociology and social administration. Sociology forms the pillars universal welfare systems, which originally focused on the fours giant killers in society “idealness, diseases, squalor and want”. However, the current challenges facing health and social care sectors are; the growth of older people and their increasing demand for care, which the coalition government of the day is struggling to cope with
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