What services are needed by older persons in Baltimore? Are there sufficient services to address this need? Provide an example of service needs and services utilized by the elderly. Follow discussion post rubric. Respond to one classmate’s post substantially.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: Addressing the Service Needs of Older Persons in Baltimore: Evaluating Sufficiency and Utilization
Thesis Statement: Older persons in Baltimore require a range of services to address their diverse needs, and while there are existing services, there are gaps that need to be addressed to ensure comprehensive support. An example of such need is access to affordable healthcare, and one service utilized by the elderly is the Baltimore City Health Department’s Senior Health Resources Program.
Older persons in Baltimore require a spectrum of services to meet their diverse needs, encompassing healthcare, social support, housing assistance, and access to recreational and educational activities. While there are existing services aimed at supporting the elderly population, there are notable gaps that need to be addressed to ensure comprehensive and accessible support for this demographic.
One significant need for older persons in Baltimore is access to affordable healthcare. As individuals age, their healthcare requirements often increase, encompassing regular medical check-ups, access to prescription medications, and specialized care for age-related conditions. However, many older adults face financial constraints that impede their ability to afford comprehensive healthcare services. This creates a pressing need for affordable healthcare options tailored to the specific needs of older individuals, including geriatric care and assistance with managing chronic illnesses.
In response to this need, the Baltimore City Health Department has implemented the Senior Health Resources Program, which aims to provide a range of healthcare services and support systems for older adults. This program offers health education workshops, assistance with navigating healthcare resources, and access to affordable prescription medications through partnerships with local pharmacies and healthcare providers. Additionally, the program facilitates connections to community resources such as senior centers and support groups, fostering a holistic approach to healthcare for older persons in Baltimore.
While the Senior Health Resources Program represents a vital service utilized by the elderly in Baltimore, there remains a question of sufficiency in addressing the broader spectrum of needs faced by older individuals. Beyond healthcare, older persons may require support in areas such as transportation, housing maintenance, mental health services, and social engagement opportunities. Evaluating the availability and accessibility of services in these domains is crucial to ensuring that the diverse needs of older adults are comprehensively met.
In conclusion, while there are existing services such as the Senior Health Resources Program that cater to the healthcare needs of older persons in Baltimore, there are evident gaps that necessitate attention. By identifying and addressing these gaps through enhanced community partnerships, resource allocation, and policy initiatives, Baltimore can work towards providing a more robust network of support for its aging population. It is imperative to recognize the intrinsic value of older individuals within the community and prioritize their well-being through targeted and comprehensive service provision.
In response to a classmate’s post, substantial engagement would involve acknowledging their insights on the service needs of older persons in Baltimore and providing additional examples of specific service gaps or initiatives aimed at addressing these needs. Furthermore, it would entail offering constructive feedback or proposing potential avenues for enhancing existing services or developing new programs to better support the elderly population. This approach fosters a meaningful exchange of ideas and contributes to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted challenges and opportunities related to serving older individuals in Baltimore.
