Final answer:
An individual responsible for an incapacitated person can be a family member, legal guardian, or health professional, with duties arising from familial, legal, or voluntary commitments. Cultural views on elder care vary, with family responsibility emphasized in Asia and independence in the West. In the U.S., caring for the elderly can be challenging, especially when caregivers work outside the home.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual who assumes responsibility for the care, custody, or control of an incapacitated person could be a family member, a legal guardian, or a health professional. By law, certain individuals may be granted the responsibility to act on behalf of someone who is unable to care for themselves due to age, illness, or disability. This responsibility could arise through familial duties, legal appointments, or other means, such as power of attorney, health care proxy, or through guardianship arrangements.
In many cultures, such as those in Asia, the family is firmly responsible for elder care. Western cultures, however, tend to emphasize the independence of elderly individuals, though family members may offer voluntary assistance if an elderly relative's health deteriorates significantly. In the United States, for example, while some families engage in caring for the elderly, this can be challenging, particularly when caregivers are employed outside of the home, leading to potential gaps in care.
When parents can no longer care for their children due to various factors such as mental health issues or incarceration, other adults like grandparents or aunts and uncles may step in to provide care. Such arrangements can be informal or formalized through state intervention. Furthermore, the sick person's 'role', as defined by sociologist Parsons, includes the expectation to seek proper medical help and to attempt recovery, avoiding malingering which could lead to social stigma.