Social Work with Older Adults in the United States

Abstract

This article examines ageing services in the United States, which are provided and financed through a mixed economy of care that includes government, the voluntary sector, and the private market. Because of substantial unmet needs, poorly coordinated systems, and social and economic disparities among older adults in the United States, social-work services have an important role to play in overcoming barriers to optimal functioning and emotional well-being in later life. Existing evidence suggests that the ability of social work to meet the needs of a growing ageing population is hampered by insufficient numbers of social workers with adequate training and competence in ageing. The article analyses and discusses recent advances in social work education in the United States designed to produce greater numbers of ageing-competent social work professionals, including initiatives in aging-related curriculum development, training, organisational development, and scholarship.

Self-Reported Likelihood of Seeking Social Worker Help Among Older Men in Israel

“…Social work with older adults aims to ensure their independence, optimizing their physical, mental, and social functioning while maintaining proper quality of life. A guiding principle of social work involvement is to help older adults continue to “age in place,” meaning that older people continue to live independently at home in the community for as long as possible, which is the preference of most people ( Scharlach, 2015 ).…”

“…Social workers can provide older men with necessary assistance aimed at improving and preserving their psychosocial functioning, such as counseling and guidance regarding individual and family problems and coping with old age-related issues. In addition, social workers can mediate between the older men and various social institutions in order to help them realize their rights and connect them to social activities such as volunteer work and daycare centers ( Makaros, 2006 ; Scharlach, 2015 ). Since previous studies have indicated possible barriers to seeking help from social workers by men, the current study sought to explore the association between several demographic factors, psychosocial factors, and factors related to attitudes and behaviors associated with seeking help, and the self-reported likelihood of seeking social worker help among older men.…”

“…Social workers can help older adults enhance their well-being and their ability to cope with stressful events and risks associated with aging, as well as with other issues in their life ( Scharlach, 2015 ). In Israel, 97% of older adults live at home in the community ( CBS, 2016 ), and not in institutions such as nursing homes and hospitals (where social workers practice on a regular basis).…”