The elderly, like all other adults, are subject to family law. Moreover, most of them have outgrown the typical conflict areas covered by family law - marriage, divorce and disputes over child custody. Other family conflicts can be avoided far better today than in former times because the aged no longer need to live with their families. However, there is one group of the elderly, in particular, for whom the task of reviewing and updating family law doctrines is possibly the most relevant, ie the growing number of very old people of 80 years old and over who often suffer from progressive physical and/or mental disabilities. They are extremely dependent on family (or 'familiar') relationships and helpless when abused or neglected - a situation in some ways comparable to that of small children.
The elderly, like all other adults, are subject to family law. Moreover, most of them have outgrown the typical conflict areas covered by family law - marriage, divorce and disputes over child custody. Other family conflicts can be avoided far better today than in former times because the aged no longer need to live with their families. However, there is one group of the elderly, in particular, for whom the task of reviewing and updating family law doctrines is possibly the most relevant, ie the growing number of very old people of 80 years old and over who often suffer from progressive physical and/or mental disabilities. They are extremely dependent on family (or 'familiar') relationships and helpless when abused or neglected - a situation in some ways comparable to that of small children.
Subject terms:
law, learning disabilities, mental health problems, older people, physical disabilities, safeguarding adults, care homes, elder abuse, families, guardianship;
home help, interviewing, managers, mental health problems, older people, physical disabilities, probation, prostitution, quality of life, short break care, social services, social work methods, videos, women, anorexia nervosa, area teams, bulimia nervosa, care homes, child sexual abuse, children, decision making, families, evaluation, groupwork;