Social workers provide support and services to older adults and their families in many settings. They work with older people who are active and healthy, those who are in poor physical or mental health, those in the community, and those in institutions.
As the population ages, a growing area for social work practice is providing service linkage and support to families so they will be able to provide adequate care for elders. Social workers may provide services or link older adults to senior centers; Meals-on-Wheels; legal services; transportation services; visiting nurses, and more.
They assist older people to maintain their independence and self-determination, find income assistance, and arrange for formal support services when family and friends are unable to help. Social workers also work with family caregivers to maintain their well-being and to obtain services such as adult day care and respite care.
Social workers assist older people to maintain or improve their quality of life through direct services and consultation, counseling, and education. Social workers also function as supervisors, administrators, public policy analysts, advocates, researchers, group leaders, and trainers. Some practice settings focus solely on older clients, whereas others, such as health care, serve a mix of younger and older people. In each and every setting, including child welfare, a social worker’s understanding of aging is becoming increasingly important.
Social workers appreciate and respect the great diversity and uniqueness of older people. They assess the strengths and needs of older people and provide appropriate services for the broad array of ethnic, cultural, social, sexual, economic and spiritual diversity found among today’s elders.
The variety and number of employment settings for social work with older people are expanding as the population ages. Settings include:
- Adult day care centers
- Adult Protective Services
- Alcohol and substance abuseservices
- Area agencies on aging
- Assisted-living facilities
- Bereavement services
- Child welfare agencies
- Educational institutions
- Elder abuse programs
- Employment and volunteer programs
- Faith-based organizations
- Family services organizations
- Home health care
- Hospice
- Hospitals and medical venters
- Information and referral agencies
- Life care communities
- Mental health centers
- Mental retardation and developmental disabilities services
- Nursing homes
- Nutrition programs
- Ombudsman programs
- Outpatient primary care settings
- Planning agencies
- Prisons
- Private clinical practice
- Private geriatric care management
- Protective services
- Public social service agencies
- Rehabilitation centers
- Research centers
- Respite programs
- Senior centers
- Senior housing facilities
- Veterans’ services
Businesses recognize the need to hire people with knowledge about aging. Gerontological social workers are hired by:
- Banks and investment firms
- Corporate eldercare companies
- Corporations
- Employee assistance programs
- Group medical and dental practices
- Insurance companies
- Legal services
- Managed care organizations
- Public utilities
- Unions
Social workers must remain current in the field of aging to best serve their clients. Employment prospects for social workers are expanding dramatically in the public and private sectors. The future holds opportunities for older adults, their families and the social workers who serve them.
