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Social workers can use sense of coherence to predict burnout of end-of-life care-givers (research report from Japan)
- Authors:
- HIYOSHI-TANIGUCHI Kazuko, BECKER Carl B., KINOSHITA Ayae
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 44(8), 2014, pp.2360-2374.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Social workers are deeply involved in supporting elder persons' home care-givers, who frequently border on burnout or nervous breakdown. Since social workers cannot fully assist every family caring for frail elders at home, it is valuable to pre-identify those care-givers in greatest need of social work support. Previous research suggests that care-givers' sleep interruption is a major factor in their sense of burden, but this alone proves inadequate to discriminate those in need of extra social work support. This study hypothesised that caregivers' Sense of Coherence (SOC) was the major factor in their sense of burden. With co-operation of social workers in rural and urban Japan, a survey was conducted of caregivers' SOC and sense of burden. The study of 177 family caregivers showed that a high SOC substantially mitigated their sense of burden, while caregivers with low senses of meaning felt more burdened. This suggests that social workers should administer a simple SOC test to home caregivers in order to predict those caregivers most needful of social work assistance during end-of-life home care. Moreover, if social workers could elevate home caregivers' SOC through social support or programmes of exercise or meditation, this might reduce home care-givers' sense of burden, ultimately reducing burnout, neglect and abuse of homebound elderly. (Edited publisher abstract)
Effects of age expectations on oncology social workers’ clinical judgment
- Authors:
- CONLON Annemarie, CHOI Namkee G.
- Journal article citation:
- Research on Social Work Practice, 24(4), 2014, pp.477-490.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Objective: This study examined the influence of oncology social workers’ expectations regarding aging (ERA) and ERA with cancer (ERAC) on their clinical judgment. Methods: Oncology social workers (N = 322) were randomly assigned to one of four vignettes describing a patient with lung cancer. The vignettes were identical except for the patent’s age and gender. Structural equation modeling served as the primary tool for testing the study hypotheses. Results: Significant differences were found in clinical judgment based on patient’s age, and social workers’ ERA and ERAC which affected diagnostic and treatment judgment for all patients. Lack of congruence was also found between the diagnosis and treatment phases of care for older patients. Emotional reaction was more often reported for the younger patient. Conclusion: Results suggest a barrier to “whole patient” care for all cancer patients and a need for student and practitioner training to place greater emphasis on the treatment phase of patient care. (Publisher abstract)
Future directions for investment: social work with older people
- Authors:
- MILNE Alisoun, et al
- Publisher:
- The College of Social Work
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 43
- Place of publication:
- London
This discussion paper makes the case for investing in a specialist social work role to work with older people. The authors make both and economic and a moral and professional case for a specialist role. The paper begins by providing a context for the discussion, focusing on the ageing population, increasing use of services and current policy issues. It then outlines the international evidence base for specialist social work with older people and the contribution specialist social work can make to older people's health and wellbeing in the UK. Areas discussed include community social work, preventive safeguarding, support for carers, and working with older people with dementia or at the end of life. The final section summarises future directions for social work with older people and their families and the need to invest in specialist services. This is one of series of papers published by The College of Social Work investigating the moral and financial case for investing in adult social work. (Original abstract)
Multidisciplinary teams’ practice strategies with older adult clients who hoard
- Authors:
- KOENIG Terry L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Mental Health, 12(1), 2014, pp.81-97.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Social workers are integral members of multidisciplinary teams designed to address older adults’ hoarding behaviours. However, few studies have examined practice strategies used by these teams. This qualitative study examined multidisciplinary teams’ use of a political approach that involved bargaining and coercion as practice strategies. Ten informants, as members of four multidisciplinary teams, described their practice strategies and client outcomes regarding older adult hoarding cases. Outcomes of these strategies resulted in a majority of elders being removed from their home. Implications include the need for teams to increase understanding of their roles in service delivery; and additions to the political approach for addressing hoarding behaviours (Publisher abstract)
The critical role of social workers in home-based primary care
- Authors:
- RECKREY Jennifer M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Health Care, 53(4), 2014, pp.330-343.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The growing homebound population has many complex biomedical and psychosocial needs and requires a team-based approach to care (Smith, Ornstein, Soriano, Muller, & Boal, 2006). The Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program (MSVD), a large interdisciplinary home-based primary care programme in New York City, has a vibrant social work programme that is integrated into the routine care of homebound patients. The authors describe the assessment process used by MSVD social workers, highlight examples of successful social work care, and discuss why social workers’ individualised care plans are essential for keeping patients with chronic illness living safely in the community. Despite barriers to widespread implementation, such social work involvement within similar home-based clinical programmes is essential in the interdisciplinary care of the most needy patients. (Edited publisher abstract)
Social work with older people: a vision for the future
- Author:
- MILNE Alisoun
- Publisher:
- The College of Social Work
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 84
- Place of publication:
- London
The report was produced by a special interest group of eight social work academics engaged in research and teaching in gerontology and gerontological social work (the G8) and The College of Social Work (TCSW) . The report offers a ‘vision’ of what the G8 sees as the role, aims, and distinctive nature of social work with older people, in what contexts it can be effectively deployed, what evidence there is, both in the UK and internationally, of its effectiveness and what social work with older people’s contribution is, and can be, to health, wellbeing and the achievement of social policy goals. It outlines the role and positive impact that specialist social work can have in a wide range of settings, including managing personal budgets, supporting independent living, re-ablement, preventing hospital re-admissions, support for ageing carers, prevention of elder abuse and end of life care. The report also argues that investing in specialist social work with older people delivers good value for money, by reducing the use of expensive acute health and care services. It is one of a series of documents published the The College of Social Work which outlines the moral and financial case for investing in adult social work (Edited publisher abstract)
Unit costs of health and social care 2014
- Author:
- CURTIS Lesley
- Publisher:
- Personal Social Services Research Unit
- Publication year:
- 2014
- Pagination:
- 302
- Place of publication:
- Canterbury
This publication provides unit costs for a wide range of health and social care services using a standardised methodology. The report is organised into five main sections. Section I covers services used by a particular client group, and includes services for older people, people with mental health problems, people who misuse drugs/alcohol, people with learning disabilities, younger adults with physical and sensory impairments, services for children and their families, hospitals, and care packages. Sections II, III and IV deal with the unit costs of professionals in community-based health care, community-based social care, and hospital-based health care. These include social care staff, health and social care teams, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. Section V details the sources of information used. This volume also includes three focused articles which explore: approaches to costing for those involved in planning and implementing integrated care initiatives; understanding the costs of shared lives, and the intervention costs of the reminiscence intervention Remembering Yesterday Caring Today (RYCT) and the Carer Support Programme (CSP). (Edited publisher abstract)