Caring for elders has traditionally been an important functi…

Caring for elders has traditionally been an important function of the family, but social, cultural, and economic changes have made it more challenging for families to fulfill this function. As a result, we’ve seen the rise of care facilities like nursing homes and programs like Social Security in the U.S. This line of thinking represents a structural-functionalist approach to the social problem of eldercare. 

If people label the elderly as “old and senile,” versus “mal…

If people label the elderly as “old and senile,” versus “malnourished” and “suffering from Alzheimer’s disease,” they are less likely to get the health care and food support that they need. Which theorist would focus on how labels impact the elderly?