Enid Part 2 Reflective Exercises
Understanding people's behaviour and decision making
Our behaviours evolve over a life span and are influenced by many of the wider determinants of health including housing, income and environment [3] For someone who does not work and is socially isolated their home is one of their only comforts and should be a safe and pleasant environment to be in. However for many the quality and maintenance of their housing all too often falls outside of their control and may have catastrophic influences on their health and wellbeing both physically and mentally. [1-5] People who are vulnerable in this way may lack the confidence and ability to change their situations and opportunities to do so are often limited. Even with limited chance to make improvements to such scenarios familiarity with surroundings is a comfort to people and often compensates for poor living standards.
Food and warmth are considered to be two of life's essentials, yet some on limited fixed incomes find themselves having to make a choice between heating and eating. Living in cold homes and poor nutrition are both widely recognised to negatively impact on health and as people age this impact gets worse.
The attitudes and values people hold develop over time according to their experiences and social interactions. People in later life sometimes don't like to make a fuss or draw attention to the mselves. Values such as protecting privacy and independence, and being seen to cope may be of high importance to them, even though underneath they are frightened and anxious about what the next day will bring.
Part 2 Question 1
Reflections on Question 1
- Mistrust of energy companies and technology
- Valuing privacy and putting a brave face on things
- Wanting to be seen as coping
- Being thrifty and not wanting to be wasteful
- Not wanting to be a bother
As older people become frailer the physical challenges of getting though the day can be aggravated by their attitudes and values. The world can become a difficult place to navigate as systems and processes become more technical and electronic. Difficulties with adjusting and coping with such developments can be worse if you are person who values privacy. Many people don't like to ask for help or acknowledge that they are struggling. They would rather put a brave face on things and be seen to be coping. Some older people may have contact with, for example, neighbours, volunteers or community groups. However, this may not always be at a level where they feel able to ask for help or talk about how they are struggling to cope.
Behaviour is influenced by previous experience. For some older people, if they have lived a life where money was tight they may be proud of being thrifty and be seen to be managing.