Continuity Aging Theory

From the interview with Dan, I believe that the aging theory that best describes Dan’s situation is the continuity aging theory. The continuity theory suggests that older adults will continue to engage with the community and society the same intensity as they did when they were adults. Dan has a habit of visiting his family a few times every week, therefore it is reasonable to expect that he will continue to do so into his old age as long as he is able to. Moreover, his parents maintain good connections with their relatives, and they meet at least once a year to catch up. Because staying in contact with relatives is highly valued in his family, Dan will continue to be close with his family and friends in his old age.

Current and Future Needs

ADRC is a government funded program that is available to anyone over age 60 and adults age 18-59 with disabilities. There is no financial need requirement for those who wish to utilize the services at ADRC. I found some services on the ADRC webpage that can be suitable to the need of the adult in this case study, which are Family Care and National Family Caregiver Support Program. Family Care is a program that allow older adults to receive services such as healthcare and long-term care services from their own home. To enroll for the program, the older adult needs to be a member of a managed care organization (MCO), and to qualify for the service, they need to demonstrate the need for long-term care services and meet the financial requirement. The financial requirement is not indicated on the ADRC webpage, however, ADRC will help the older adult contact with appropriate agencies to determine financial eligibility (ADRC, 2017). People with dementia and people with terminal disease are also qualified for the service. National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) provide caregivers information and ways to access available resources, counseling, support groups, respite services and training programs. NFCSP prioritizes caregivers who are taking care of older

While his children will be his caregivers, as adults they will need to work for most of the day, therefore it is important for Dan to be able to live independently while his children are not present. For this reason, I include Center for Independent Living for Western Wisconsin Inc. (CILWW) in the available services because the agency can help Dan maintain his independence. CILWW concerns with the wellbeing of all people with disabilities and work to maximize their involvement with the community. The program offers independent living trainings, disability support groups, transportation programs, and assistive technology for rent. It is open to all adults with disabilities, although there are only a few offices in some cities such as Eau Claire, Menomonie, and Rice Lake. Last but not least, I think that an English language program is going to be helpful for Dan, because he would want to know the language in order to talk to other people if he lived in Eau Claire. At Literacy Chippewa Valley, adults and families can gain practical skills such as reading, writing, computer skills, English language skills, and so on. 33% of the students at the organization come for English language education, and they are from 30 different countries. The organization is open for free to all adults of all ages in Chippewa, Eau Claire, and Dunn