Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Old age identity in social welfare practice
- Authors:
- WILIŃSKA Monika, HENNING Cecilia
- Journal article citation:
- Qualitative Social Work, 10(3), September 2011, pp.346-363.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Social welfare for old age is based on the assumption that ageing results in dependency. However, research on old age identity and social welfare work is limited. This study investigated the process of old age identity construction within a setting of social welfare work with old people. It aimed to identify social welfare practices that construct and enforce certain old age identities. The data analysed in this article were part of a study of a non-governmental organisation, based in Poland. The method of analysis was inspired by nexus analysis, which analyses social actions through a historical and ethnographic perspective. The analysis focused on practices that produced, sustained and promoted particular old age identity, and findings indicated a complex process in which social welfare professionals create the identities of preferred clients. In conclusion, the authors suggest that social welfare practice is often geared toward imagined client identities that have little to do with real people.
Factors used in the detection of elder financial abuse: a judgement and decision-making study of social workers and their managers
- Authors:
- DAVIES Miranda, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 54(3), May 2011, pp.404-420.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The greater relative wealth of older people, in conjunction with their vulnerability to physical and mental health problems, is believed to be associated with an increased risk of financial abuse. However, factors social workers use to detect elder financial abuse are currently unknown. This study examined UK social workers’ and managers’ decision-making n practice in order to elicit the key factors that raised suspicion of elder financial abuse. Twenty three social workers and manager from adult social services participated in interviews. A critical incident technique was applied within a judgement analysis approach to elicit findings. Only three factors were contributory to decision-making: who raises concern; the elder’s mental capacity; and the nature of the financial anomaly occurring. The authors concluded that the potential bias that may influence judgement and decision-making due to the limited number of contributing factors may help social workers better answer whether or not financial abuse was indeed happening.
Patient-centered approach to building problem solving skills among older primary care patients: problems identified and resolved
- Authors:
- ENGUIDANOS Susan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 54(3), April 2011, pp.276-291.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Problem Solving Therapy (PST) teaches patients to address their life difficulties by reducing problems into smaller sections and identifying specific steps towards making positive change. This article describes the problems identified by older primary care patients enrolled in PST, and explores factors associated with successful problem resolution. The participants were 107 patients aged 65 years and more with 2 or more chronic conditions and at least one emergency room visit or hospital admission over the last 6 months. The intervention was conducted at the primary care clinic or at the patient’s home, and aimed to include between 4 and 8 45-min sessions with a social worker. The patients identified problems in their lives and directed the focus of subsequent sessions as consistent with the steps of PST. A total of 568 problems were identified, 59% of which were resolved. The most commonly identified problems included health related issues such as need for exercise or weight loss activities, medical care and medical equipment needs, home and garden maintenance, and gathering information on their medical condition. Problems identified by patients were 2.2 times more likely to be solved than those identified by a health care professional. The article concludes that using PST in primary care may facilitate patients in addressing key health and wellness issues.
A quest for meaning: hospice social workers and patients with end-stage dementia
- Authors:
- SANDERS Sara, SWAILS Peggy
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work: A journal of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 56(2), April 2011, pp.129-140.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Most social workers are not interested in working with cognitively impaired older people, such as those with dementia. As the number of individuals with dementia grows, the demand for social workers to provide services will increase. To date, little attention has been directed toward patients at the end stages of the disease, and little is known about how professionals, particularly hospice social workers, form therapeutic relationships with these patients given their severe cognitive impairment. This study examined how 43 hospice social workers find meaning in their therapeutic relationships with patients with end-stage dementia. Findings revealed two primary themes, each containing three subthemes, that captured the barriers to and strategies for forming meaningful relationships with patients with end-stage dementia. The authors conclude that this study has implications for hospice social workers, and the type of training they need to strengthen their practice with adults suffering from dementia.
Giving courts the information necessary to implement limited guardianships: are we there yet?
- Author:
- GIBSON Laura
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 54(8), November 2011, pp.803-818.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Guardianship is a legal mechanism used to appoint substitute decision makers to assist vulnerable individuals who are unable to take care of their personal or financial needs. If a person has the capacity to function in some areas, a limited guardianship can be used to preserve rights in areas of strength. The aim of this study was to learn how interdisciplinary assessment teams in Kentucky contribute to the guardianship process for older adults and what kinds of information they are providing to the courts. A retrospective analysis of written court records and audiotapes of court testimony for adult guardianship cases was conducted. A total of 240 clinical assessments were reviewed for 80 court petitions. Guardianship assessments and court testimony were reviewed to explore the comprehensiveness of reports to the court, the consideration of less restrictive alternatives, and the use of limited guardianships. Ninety-seven percent of petitions were granted; 82% of these were full guardianships and 18% were limited. The findings indicate that more detailed information about functional abilities, as well as consideration of less restrictive alternatives, needs to be presented to the courts. Recommendations are given for ways in which social workers can improve the information given to the courts and advocate for elders in this situation.
Commitment of licensed social workers to aging practice
- Authors:
- SIMONS Kelsey, BONIFAS Robin, GAMMONLEY Denise
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Work, 36(3), August 2011, pp.183-195.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
There is a need for an interdisciplinary geriatric workforce, which includes gerontological social workers, to provide care for the rapidly aging population. The aim of this study was to identify the client, professional, and employment characteristics that enhance licensed social workers' commitment to aging practice. The study involved secondary analysis of survey data collected by the NASW Center for Workforce Studies for their 2004 national study of licensed social workers. It focused on the 181 full time participants who identified aging as their primary area of practice. Binary logistic regressions identified several variables as being significant predictors of commitment to aging. These were: the clients' source of insurance; practitioners' years of experience in social work and gerontology; perceived adequacy of training; number of social work colleagues in the work environment; perceived appropriateness of delegated tasks; and annual income. The findings reveal that the promotion of training and competency-based education and the need for sufficient job challenge and appropriate assignment of roles will encourage commitment to working in the field of gerontology.
Social work and transitions of care: observations from an intervention for older adults
- Authors:
- FABBRE Vanessa D., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 54(6), August 2011, pp.615-626.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Healthcare is often provided in a variety of different settings, making the transition between these, for example from hospital to home, challenging for many older adults. This article describes the third component of a multistage project in the US which developed and tested a telephone-based social work intervention for older adults (aged over 65 years) discharged from an acute care setting to home. This paper focuses on the third stage, a qualitative study looking at practice perspectives of the transition process. Interviews with three clinical social workers who managed 356 cases and their clinical notes were analysed to identify the salient themes; three were revealed. First despite some challenges and problems after discharge being potentially avoidable there were surprises that could not have been anticipated. Second, the social workers approached the cases with a broad and interconnected view of the health-care client system. Thirdly, relationship building between patients, care givers and providers, of both healthcare and other supportive services, was a key component of effective care transition. The authors suggest that the broad view taken by social workers, their training and their continuing relationship with their clients (often putting them in the right place at the right time) makes them suitable for developing and delivering models of care transition.
The role of the gerontological social worker in assisted living
- Authors:
- KOENIG Terry L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 54(5), July 2011, pp.494-510.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Assisted living (AL) is currently the most preferred and fastest growing area of long-term care for older adults. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the role of social work in AL and the potential barriers to using social workers from the perspective of AL administrators. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 13 AL administrators in an urban county in New York State. The interview questions were designed to explore the administrator’s perspectives of the role and the importance of the AL social worker in addressing the unmet needs of older adults as they move and transition into AL. Five major roles of the AL social worker were identified by all 13 administrators: decision-making and adjustment coordinator; resident advocate; mental health assessor and counsellor; family social worker; and care planner. The study points to the important and value of AL social workers. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Advance care planning with residents in nursing homes in Singapore
- Authors:
- WEE Ng Tzer, WENG Suew Chee, HUAT Laurence Lim Eng
- Journal article citation:
- Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development, 21(1), June 2011, pp.97-104.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Project CARE is a pilot project which aims to promote advance care planning and to improve end-of-life care in 7 nursing homes managed by voluntary welfare organisations. Advance care planning refers to the process of discussion about future healthcare between an individual, their loved ones, and their care providers. The aim is to enable a person to make clear their wishes with regards to future treatment and care. This article provides preliminary observations from this project relating to the implementation of advance care planning and its challenges. Selected staff from the nursing homes received training to apply the Respecting Choices advance care planning framework. Since the implementation of Project CARE in September 2009, there have been approximately 400 advance care planning discussions held with residents and their family members. These discussions included exploring the preferred place of care at the end of life. The paper illustrates the range of challenges faced in these discussions. It also presents the roles of social workers in advance care planning, and concludes with factors that contribute to effective advance care planning facilitation.
More assessment for social work?
- Author:
- SAMUEL Mithran
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 21.7.11, 2011, pp.30-31.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
The Dilnot commission's proposals could result in a single national threshold when deciding whether people are eligible for long term care. All people with a care need would be entitled to state funding after they had passed a cap on their costs of up to £35,000. This could result in social workers undertaking an increasing number of assessments. This article discusses the proposals, the opportunities and challenges for social workers.