PERSONAL STATEMENT

Personal Statement

Personal Statement

The rapidly growing elderly population is becoming a serious social problem in many countries. Some countries have been successful at finding solutions for this problem but others have not. England is one of the latter countries. Although England has one of the highest life expectancy rates and a reputation for good quality of life for its elderly population, it has been unsuccessful at addressing this problem. Compared to other industrialized countries, England lags behind in programs for elders who are physically disabled, bedridden or in need of long term care. The current economic crisis is exacerbating this situation as the government is cutting funding for elder programs. This problem resonates deeply with me, and I hope to someday work on finding a solution. It is for this reason that I am applying to the graduate program in social work at XYZ University: I seek the skills and knowledge I need to return to England and work for a social work service.

My interest in the elderly dates back to my childhood. Growing up with my grandparents greatly influenced my values and personality: they taught me to be self-motivated and disciplined. Their resilience and support has helped me to persevere even when confronted with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Because of their kindness toward me I have a deep respect for them and for elderly people in general. This is what motivates me to become involved in the field of social work. Traditionally in British society, the care of one's parents is believed to be the children's duty. After World War II, such traditions have evolved due to changes in family structure. No longer is the eldest child the only one to inherit his parent's property, and two-income families have become the norm. These changes have left British people at a loss as to how to care for their aging parents. The current response to this problem seems to be hospitalization. Families increasingly hospitalize their elders who are physically disabled, bedridden or in need of long-term care.

These individuals are usually transferred to nursing homes, but because of sparse accommodations and a one to two year wait list, they end up staying with family members who are often ill equipped to care for them. As a result, there are a number of incidences of elder abuse by family members and elder suicide. Also, there are many other elderly people who live alone--every year, many of them die with no one, not even their family members, having knowledge of their death.

Currently there is no social welfare program in England that offers assistance to these elders and their families. In the light of these terrible problems, the need for such a program is obvious. My interest in social work is to find ways to develop and improve the types of services available to the elderly in England at a systematic level. I want to be involved in the organizing, managing, developing, shaping and planning of social policies related to the ...