Careers in Aging: Social Work Careers in Aging in Iowa Collaboration among: Iowa State University University of Northern Iowa Des Moines Area Community College University of Iowa Inspired by AGHE Association of Gerontology in Higher Education: http://www.aghe.org/ 2 Iowa s Population Census Bureau Mercedes Bern Klug, MSW, PhD Associate Professor School of Social Work Aging Studies Program Population (2012) 3,074,186 Rank among states: 30 Urban and rural population (2010) 1 Urban: 64.02% Rural (total): 35.98% Population 65 years and over: 15.0% (US 13) Population 85 years and over: 2.5% (US 1.8) 4 Iowa Race and Hispanic or Latino (2011) 1 White alone: 91.5% Black or African American alone: 2.9% American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.4% Asian alone: 1.8% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1% Two or more races: 1.4% Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 5.0% White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 88.4%Ancestry (single or multiple) (2011) 1 German: 37.8% Irish: 14.5% Other: 47.7% 5 6 1
Case Study When the OA is living with functional impairments: Mrs. E. Former cook. Mother of 4, values independence, values decision making, enjoys socializing, is dealing with COPD, diabetes. What are the needs agreement Can needs be met in current setting Weighing decision to move Discussing LOS plans Adjustment to new setting; adaptation of current Emotional and social issues Grief and loss Meaning making Decisions, resources, communication, selfdetermination, game plan, assess whether working, according to OA and family. 7 8 The Mission of Social Work to enhance human well being and help meet basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. Source: NASW Code of Ethics http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp NASW National Association of Social Workers National organization State chapters Journal, newsletter, website, factsheets, Facebook, Linkedin, twitter Social Work Speaks Practice standards NASW SW Encyclopedia 9 10 SW Perspective A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession s focus on individual well being in a social context and the well being of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living. NASW Code of Ethics Six Core SW Values & Principles 1. Service Help people in need, address social problems 2. Social justice Challenge social injustice 3. Dignity and worth of the person Respect the inherent dignity and worth of each person 4. Importance of human relationships Recognize the central importance of human relationships 5. Integrity Behave in a trustworthy manner 6. Competence Practice within areas of competence and develop and enhance professional expertise 11 12 2
Professional social workers are found in every facet of community life in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centers, elected office, private practices, prisons, military, corporations, and in numerous public and private agencies that serve individuals and families in need. BLS Important Qualities SW Compassion. Social workers often work with people who are in stressful and difficult situations. To develop strong relationships, they must have compassion and empathy for their clients. Listening skills. Clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives. To effectively help, social workers must listen to and understand their clients needs. Organizational skills. Helping and managing multiple clients, often assisting with their paperwork or documenting their treatment, requires good organizational skills. People skills. Being able to work with different groups of people is essential for social workers. They need strong people skills to foster healthy and productive relationships with their clients and colleagues. Problem solving skills. Social workers need to develop practical and innovative solutions to their clients problems. Time management skills. Social workers often have many clients. They must manage their time well to provide adequate service to all of their clients Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012 13 Edition, Social Workers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community and social service/social workers.htm (visited April 29, 2013). 13 14 Important Qualities Committed to advocacy Openness to enhancing own cultural competency College Education BSW BASW undergraduate (4 years) MSW graduate terminal degree for practitioners PhD (DSW): research and scholarship Professional Licensure 15 16 SW Educational Programs in Iowa Doctoral SW Education in Iowa 13 BASW/BSW Briar Cliff Sioux City Buena Vista Storm Lake Clark College Dubuque Dordt College Sioux Center Loras College Dubuque Luther College Decorah Marycrest College Davenport Mount Mercy Cedar Rapids Northwestern College Orange City Univ of Iowa Iowa City & Des Moines UNI Cedar Falls Wartburg Waverly 3 MSW (Masters) Ambrose Davenport UNI Cedar Falls UI Iowa City Des Moines Sioux City Quad Cities The University of Iowa 17 18 3
19 20 Mental Health Therapy over 50% are SW Disaster Relief over 40% Red Cross trained MH volunteers are SW Military Social Work Rural Social Work Adoption & Foster Care Child Welfare Services Family Preservation Services Homeless Family Assistance Eating Disorders Genetics 21 22 Community Mental Health Employee Assistance Private Practice Veterans Services Child Abuse & Neglect Domestic Violence Political Development Parent Education Family Planning HIV/AIDS School Alternative Programs Difficulties in School Gerontology Services Community Based Services In Home Services Dementia and Alzheimer s Addictions Prevention/Treatment Criminal Justice Housing Assistance Public Welfare Employment Services 23 24 4
Gerontological Social Work Work related to well being of older adults Individuals Families Neighborhoods Communities Cities State Country Global ROLE AND FUNCTION OF SOCIAL WORK IN AGING DEPENDS ON SETTING ADVOCACY ASSESSMENT PLANNING CARE MANAGEMENT COUNSELING Variety of settings 25 SAGE SW Faculty Development Institute 26 ROLE AND FUNCTION OF SOCIAL WORK IN AGING Continued FAMILY SUPPORT EDUCATION GROUP WORK MILIEU/CRISIS INTERVENTION AS PART OF A MULTI DISCIPLINARY TEAM 27 28 FUTURE POSSIBILITIES AND DIRECTIONS TECHNOLOGY AND COORDINATION OF CARE LIFE COURSE PLANNING CAREGIVER ISSUES CULTURE CHANGE COMMUNITY PLANNING BLS Job Outlook SW in General 25% increase by 2020 Employment of healthcare social workers is expected to grow by 34 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations. As baby boomers age, they and their families will require help from social workers to find care, which will increase demand for healthcare social workers. Employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers is expected to grow by 31 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected as more people seek treatment for mental illness and addiction. 29 30 5
Book by Grobman & Bourassa 44 professionals tell stories from real life social work practice with older adults. UI Aging Studies Program Certificate = 21 semester hours Undergraduate Minor = 15 semester hours http://www.uiowa.edu/~socialwk/agingstudies/ Publisher: White Hat Communications 31 32 Thank you. Mercedes bern klug@uiowa.edu 33 6