The case of the Logan family can be considered one of the “classic” examples of ageism. It involves a family with separated parents, who try to find a solution to the problematic situation their child has gotten into. The major problem is that not only do they not consider each other’s viewpoints, but they also try to impose their way of thinking, disregarding their daughter’s thoughts and desires. It results in the family being unable to solve the issue and the child getting even more confused due to ageism, even though her parents were supposed to help her.
As it is stated in the case study, Eboni Logan is a 16-year-old girl studying in 11th grade, who got pregnant by accident. She finds herself confused, not knowing what to do, and seeking support from her friends, boyfriend, social worker, and, eventually, her family. This is where issues start to arise, leading to adultism, as it makes the decision even harder for the girl (Blumenfeld et al., 2018). Both Eboni’s mother and father try to persuade her to make a choice based on their point of view, even though neither mother nor father can be called the perfect role models, making their advice questionable.
Eboni’s parents are firm in their belief that their decisions are the only right ones, acting as if their daughter does not have a voice, which is a clear example of adultism. Eboni’s mother, Darlene, is strictly against her daughter keeping the baby. Under the guise of wanting a better future for her child, she acts aggressively, going as far as insulting her daughter as an initial reaction (Jun, 2018). Darlene explains her choice based on her own experience of giving birth when she was 17. In contrast, Eboni’s father, Anthony, advises her to keep the baby. Antony has been married two times and divorced once, never marrying Darlene, and has four other children. His decision is based on a religious belief, telling Eboni that abortion is a sin, which only adds to the overall pressure.
The case of the Parker family introduces quite a contrasting situation. Even though the family has their issues, ageism, demonstrated in this case, is much milder, and people involved do not try to impose their beliefs so aggressively. One of the probable reasons for such behavior is that both women, mother, and daughter, are adults.
The problems started because Sara, a 72-year-old woman, got into an argument with her daughter Stephanie, who was 48 years old. The reason was Sara’s hoarding, which had been the problem for many years, and the situation only worsened after her husband passed away. Stephanie was trying to get rid of some of Sara’s belongings, as her mother’s hoarding triggered her bipolar disorder. Adultism in this situation was the lack of agreement and attempts to find senior housing for Sara, which she was strongly against (Levy & Macdonald, 2016). However, the mother and the daughter eventually found the solution to their problem with Stephanie moving out and Sara staying under the supervision of a social worker.
There is a big difference between this situation and the case of the Logan family. The Parkers were able to find a solution and acknowledge their shortcomings (Ayalon & Tesch-Römer, 2018). The mother and her daughter have found a compromise that would help them to solve the problem, even though it required overcoming some difficulties. This case serves as an example of how mutual understanding can eliminate ageism and adultism, bringing treatment of family members back to normal.
References
Ayalon, L., & Tesch-Römer, C. (2018). Contemporary perspectives on ageism (international perspectives on aging (19)) (1st ed.). Springer.
Blumenfeld, W. J., Catalano, C. D. J., Dejong, K., & Adams, M. (2018). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice (4th ed.). Routledge.
Jun, H. (2018). Social justice, multicultural counseling, and practice: Beyond a conventional approach (2nd ed.). Springer.
Levy, S. R., & Macdonald, J. L. (2016). Progress on understanding ageism. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 5–25. Web.