By Daniel Babigian, Chapter Social Work Intern, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service
(November/December 1999)
It has never been easy for professional social workers on the front lines of practice with older people", began guest speaker Barbara Silverstone, addressing the Chapter's Gerontology Committee. Dr. Silverstone is the President and CEO of Lighthouse International and a former Chapter President of NASW.
The committee's September 28th meeting provided a forum to discuss the many challenges that face front line social workers in practice with older people. Dr. Silverstone addressed several key issues that can present challenges for professional social work practice with older people. She provided several strategies social workers can use to overcome some of these tasks. Gerontology is one of the largest growth areas of social work practice. As the population is aging, the demands for professional social work increase as well. At the same time, older people in our society are often undervalued. To be old, poor, and possibly disabled, in a society that glorifies youth, places one in a category frequently abandoned by government, local and state authorities.
Social workers and other health care providers, who recognize and seek to address the issues of older people are under-appreciated and disregarded. Often, professional training to develop skills in working with the aging is inadequate.
Dr. Silverstone then grounded the discussion in the NASW Code of Ethics noting that it is imperative professional social workers fulfil their mission, which includes respect for all individuals regardless of color, language, ethnicity, sex and age.
"We have an indispensable role to play with older people; particularly the very frail and impaired that no other profession can fill. A role involving recognition of our older clients as whole unique persons with a past as well as a present, with feelings regardless of cognitive impairment; a role rooted in the older person's need and capacity for a supportive relationship no matter what degree of impairment".
In order to begin building good practice, Dr. Silverstone discussed the important theme of empowerment. Through empowerment, a professional social worker can facilitate the establishment of organizational structures that help support good practice. Given that, Dr. Silverstone provided a 4-step empowerment plan to promote effectiveness among gerontological social workers.
The first step in empowering oneself is to build a support group. As Dr. Silverstone points out, "empowerment cannot grow in isolation." The Gerontological Social Work Committee illustrates the inherent strength of a group. It goes beyond sharing feelings, as a vehicle for building a stronger knowledge base as well.
The second and third steps involve continually increasing your knowledge base and practice skills regarding older people. There is a broad spectrum of diversity within the stories and lives of older people.The complex and sometimes highly charged situations with individuals and families can be daunting for the social work professional. Having a better understanding of these issues will enhance a social worker's ability to provide good practice.
Dr. Silverstone's fourth and final step calls for the dissemination of new information with colleagues and other staff members in your agency. Today, professional social workers thrive in the mental health field due largely to the fact that information and knowledge about what works and what doesn't has been shared among workers. The same can happen with geron-tological social workers.
During the group discussion, there was a consensus that the difficulties facing social workers are significant. A number of recommendations were made. Some participants suggested that the schools of social work should improve their curriculum on aging as a way to prepare a new generation of professionals. Barbara Rinehart, the committee's Chair noted that the National Chapter of NASW has started an aging section. Wayne Orlowitz, Chair of the Nursing Home Committee at the NYC chapter, suggested convening a mentoring base of retired social workers who could be role models and guides to younger social workers. Another idea is to have a gerontological website where professional social workers could share information and skills. This could also be a great tool to reach the younger professionals and students who might not have the experience and knowledge necessary to be a gerontological social worker.
The Gerontological Social Work Committee is committed to maintaining a focus on the needs of both clients and professional workers who work with older people. They are working towards developing a strong professional presence and greater visibility. At the next meeting, they hope to share stories of social work practice with older people and their families.