How should we care for the elderly?

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One remarkable feature of market imperialism as it has affected welfare provision is just how deep it has become entrenched in the act of caring for people. Here, Clotworthy describes how the provision of eldercare in Denmark has been taken over by a system that aims to create idealized, active, and independent older people. Eldercare is thus increasingly subject to a “competition state” focused on optimizing costs by “responsibilizing” both care providers and senior citizens as rational and independent decision-makers. What Clotworthy shows, though, is that creating a welfare system with this sort of ideal in place runs the risk of ignoring the actual person sitting in front of you. The system acts more as a gatekeeper than a care provider, and thus leaves people alienated in their old age. Clotworthy contrasts this with eldercare systems that make a direct provision of care in order to show another way of caring for our seniors.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPeople Before Markets
EditorsDaniel Souleles, Johan Gersel, Morten Sørensen Thanning
Number of pages20
PublisherCambridge University Press
Publication date2022
Edition1
Chapter15
ISBN (Print)9781009165846
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

ID: 292007524