2008
Aging Times, the CSWE Gero-Ed Center’s bi-monthly e-newsletter, provided an accessible and concise link to the Center’s programs, initiatives and curricular resources. Each issue featured a special topic with articles by faculty, students, and other members of the social work community.
If you would like to subscribe to our E-mail list in lieu of Aging Times, email us.
December 2008
Volume 4, Number 3 - December 2008
In This Issue: Mental Health and Aging
With increased research identifying the association between mental and physical well-being, the need for research on mental health and aging has never been greater. This issue of Aging Times explores the growing need and current curricular resources for geriatric mental health and social work.
Aging and Mental Health
Zvi Gellis, University of Pennsylvania
Stanley McCracken, University of Chicago
As rates of mental illness and depression among older adults rise, Gellis and McCracken demonstrate the need for more social workers with geriatric expertise and the resources available to prepare them.
Alzheimer's Disease and Depression
Bevin Powers, MSW Student, San Jose State University
As an MSW student with the Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Program at Stanford University, Powers argues that social workers must be prepared to recognize the symptoms of depression in older adults, especially those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Resources on Older Adults & Mental Health
Resource Reviews from the MAC Project
Gero-Ed Center Updates
New Specialized Gero Funding Opportunity Available
Learn more about designing gero-specialized curricular structures with a new Gero-Ed Center initiative.
Social Work and Aging YouTube Contest Winners Announced
Students created short videos to depict “This is Social Work and Aging” in a competition sponsored by Hartford and AGE-SW.
MAC Project Presents FDIs on New Resource Reviews
National social work leaders joined forces with SAMHSA to present new web-based curricular and research resources for faculty.
Highlights from 2008 Gero-Ed Track at CSWE APM
From issues of healthcare to caregiving with 70 sessions in between, this year's Gero-Ed Track was a success!
Aging and Mental Health
By Zvi D. Gellis and Stanley McCracken
Current estimates of mental illness in older adults range from 15-25%, and the number of older persons with a serious mental illness is expected to climb from about 4 million in 1970 to nearly 15 million by 2030 (Gellis, 2006). This increase in the number of older adults with mental health problems likely will far exceed the capacity of the mental health system to deliver needed services, resulting in large numbers of individuals with unmet mental health needs. Even now, it is estimated that less than a quarter of older adults with mental health needs ever receive treatment—a problem that exists across a range of service settings from community/outpatient settings to hospitals to residential and long term care facilities.
Interest in evidence-based geriatric mental health knowledge and effective practice interventions has never been greater. Assessment and treatment of mental health problems among older adults has evolved into a public health need. For example, geriatric depression is highly prevalent, persistent and recurrent; it adversely affects quality of life resulting in significant physical and psychological co-morbidity; and it contributes to the likelihood of relapse and potential suicide (Gellis, 2006). Depression is often under-diagnosed or inadequately treated in older adults. Given the negative consequences of depression on individual functioning, understanding and utilizing empirically-supported treatments assumes critical importance. Several effective treatment options for late life depression exist, but these remain underutilized.
Part of the failure to provide adequate geriatric mental health services is due to the fact that many older adults are reluctant to seek or report mental health services, because of various barriers such as potential costs, transportation, mental health stigma, denial of problems, language differences or a lack of culturally appropriate services. In addition, with older adults living in the community longer than in the past, it is increasingly likely that mental health care will be provided in community settings, many of which do not offer specialty mental health programs.
Finally, there is a serious shortage of professional staff with adequate training to meet the mental health needs of older adults and their caregivers. Social workers have a key role in providing mental health services and case management to older adults and their families. Many social work students receive little exposure to practice with older adults either in their classes or in their field work, yet there is a high likelihood that they will be providing services to older adults after they graduate (Rosen, 2002).
With a growing body of empirically supported research and effective clinical interventions for mental health problems among older adults, social work educators have an array of teaching tools at the ready through the MAC Project's Resource Reviews Web page on mental health. These tools include high quality curricular resources encompassing literature reviews, lecture notes, presentation slides, case studies, and class exercises to integrate into mental health course syllabi and other clinical teaching modules. The purpose is to offer timely state-of-the-science information on geriatric mental health issues and content that can be readily infused into a variety of clinical and mental health courses.
Zvi D. Gellis, PhD is an associate professor and director of the Center for Mental Health and Aging, School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania. His research interests are focused on evidence-based psychosocial interventions for late life depression in homebound medically ill elderly.
Stanley McCracken, PhD is a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration. His current work focuses on implementation of evidence-based practice in community settings.
References
Gellis, Z. D. (2006). Mental health and emotional disorders among older adults. In B. Berkman (Ed.), OxfordHandbook of Social Work in Health and Aging (pp. 129-139). New York: Oxford University Press.
Rosen, A., Zlotnick, J., & Singer, T. (2002). Basic Gerontological competence for all social workers: The need to “gerontologize” social work education. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 39, no. 1-2, pp. 25-36.
Alzheimer's Disease and Depression
By Bevin Powers
From 1995 to 2050, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is expected to quadruple to more than 100 million cases, with an increased need for high level care (Alzheimer’s Association, 2007; Herbert et al., 2001). This dramatic increase will be the result of the significant number of Baby Boomers (i.e., those born between 1946 and 1964) reaching age 65 and older along with the growing number of oldest-old (age 85 and older) Therefore, there will be considerable demand for social workers who are trained to work with older adults with dementia and depression.
Depression has been shown to be a risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (Geerlings et al., 2008). Additionally, late-life depression has been suggested to be a prodrome (an early symptom indicating the onset of a disease) of AD (as well as other forms of dementia) (Steffens et al., 2002). The loss of function as well as the cognitive changes that occur with AD can produce depressive symptoms in both patients as well as their caregivers and should not be overlooked in this vulnerable population. Since past history of depression puts an individual at risk for future depressive episodes, this too needs to be assessed. However, AD often leads to poor recall of personal histories and collateral information must be gathered. In my work with AD patients at Stanford University School of Medicine in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, I’ve benefited from using all resources of information (i.e. the family members’ and caregivers’ knowledge, and medical charts) and not relying on only one source.
General medicine often overlooks signs of depression, especially in geriatric patients (Licht-Strunk et al., 2008). It is imperative that social work standards of care for older adults include screening for depression, not only because of the cognitive and physical consequences associated with depression, but also because of the association between late life depression and high suicide rates. (Hoyert et al., 1999).
Mental health social workers who specialize in working with older adults need to be trained to recognize depression in this population. They also need to understand mood disorders, simple mood assessment and early identification of high-risk individuals. It is also important to consult with and refer to medical and other mental health professionals with geriatric expertise to assure these patients receive the most comprehensive care available.
When assessing an older adult for depression, it is also important to keep in mind that age-related bias regarding mood disorders still exists. In my work in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, I have found that many older adults are not willing or able to recognize depression in themselves. I’ve observed AD patients and their caregivers normalize depression as a part of the disease and fail to grasp the importance of treatment. By helping clients with AD (or without) seek care for depression we are fulfilling our professional social work responsibilities and improving their quality of life. It could be the most beneficial service we provide overall.
Bevin Nicole Powers is a graduate student at San Jose State University School of Social Work with a focus in gerontology and mental health. She is currently involved in NIH funded research with the Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Program at Stanford University investigating the interactions between cognition, brain metabolism and reproductive hormones in mid-life.
References
Alzheimer’s Association. (2007) Newest Estimate of Worldwide Prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease = 26.6 Million. Retrieved on November 17, 2008 from Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.
Geerlings M.I., den Heijer T., Koudstaal A. et al. History of depression, depressive symptoms, and medial temporal lobe atrophy and the risk of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2008;70:1258-1264.
Hebert L.E., Beckett L.A., Scherr P.A. et al. Annual incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States projected to the years 2000 through 2050. Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders. 2001;15:4:169-173.
Hoyert D.L., Arias E, Smith B.L., Murphy S.L., Kochanek K.D. Deaths: final data for 1999. National Vital Statistics Report. 2001 Sep 21;49(8):1-113.
Licht-Strunk E, Beekman A.T., de Haan M., van Marwijk H.W. The prognosis of undetected depression in older practice patients: A one year follow-up study. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2008 Jul 14. [Epub ahead of print]
Steffens D.C., Payne M.E., Greenberg D.I. et al. Hippocampal volume and incident dementia in geriatric depression. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2002 Jan-Feb; 10(1): 62-71.
New Specialized Gero Funding Opportunity Available
The Gero-Ed Center announces a funding opportunity for social work programs to create specialized curricula in gerontology!
The Specialized Gerontology (“Specialized Gero”) Program provides faculty with the resources to design, implement, and institutionalize gerontological competencies at the generalist and advanced levels of practice in the form of a minor, certificate, specialization, concentration, or area of emphasis. This program is available only for programs that can demonstrate the infusion of gerontological content in foundation courses.
The application for the Specialized Gero Program, July 1 2009 – June 30 2011, is due Friday, April 10. For program and application details, download the Request for Proposals (RFP) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) from the Specialized Gero Program Web Page.
Social Work and Aging YouTube Contest Winners Announced
The top five winners of the This Is Social Work and Aging video contest were announced at the AGE-SW Reception at the Gerontological Society of America 61st Annual Scientific Meeting. The Gerontology Student Association at the Brown School of Social Work, Washington University won first place and $1000 in the contest, which was sponsored by the John A. Hartford Foundation and AGE-SW and hosted on YouTube.com. The Gerontological Student Association (Alicia Barrese, Jason Echols, Megan Lange, Juma Lee, Florence McKinley, Eun Ha Namkung, Becky Schwantes, and Benjamin Welch) produced a video combining still photographs, striking statistics, and quality content.
Maegan Krueger Blaschke from the University of Texas at San Antonio won second prize and $500 with her video that demonstrated the different ways in which social workers can impact older adults. Honorable Mentions were given to Moon Choi of the Mandel School of Applied Sciences of Case Western University, Sheila B. Martin of East Central University, and Elizabeth Jensen of Metro State College of Denver.
The top five videos are available on the GSWI Web site. All student submissions may be viewed on the contest’s YouTube page.
MAC Project Presents FDIs on New Resource Reviews
The Master’s Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project held a successful Faculty Development Institute (FDI) at the 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting. The FDI focused on the gerontological Resource Reviews, housed on the Gero-Ed Center’s Web site, which provide guidelines and resources for faculty teaching in the advanced MSW specialty practice areas of health, mental health, and substance use.
FDI presenters demonstrated how to include the research-based content, including case studies and other gerontological curricular resources, into MSW advanced courses. Institute teachers included Resource Review authors Zvi Gellis of University of Pennsylvania, Kathleen Farkas of Case Western Reserve University, Grace Christ of Columbia University, Stanley McCracken of the University of Chicago, and Sadhna Diwan, project principal investigator of San Jose State University, as well as Kevin Hennessy, the science to service coordinator at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Hennessy discussed how social work faculty can use the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices for Teaching, as well as submit their own research.
Gellis, Farkas, Christ, and Diwan will also be presenting their work at the Society for Social Work and Research annual conference in New Orleans on January 16, 2009. Be sure to register for the conference and plan to attend the workshop titled Developing Evidence-Based Curricula for Social Work Practice at the Intersections of Mental Health, Substance Use, Health, and Aging.
Highlights from 2008 Gero-Ed Track at CSWE APM
The 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) showcased over 70 Gero-Ed Track panels, paper and poster sessions, and lectures. Carmen Morano from Hunter College served as track chair, with Gero-Ed Center staff member Meredith Eisenhart as co-chair.
Gero-Ed Track highlights included:
- Robert Hudson, professor from Boston University, led the Gero-Ed Track Kick Off with a lively keynote speech on healthcare policy and aging, which continued to generate discussion over the course of the conference. A subsequent hot topic panel on healthcare featured Grace Christ of Columbia University, Michelle Putnam of Simmons College, Patricia Volland of the New York Academy of Medicine, and Joan Weiss of the Health Resources and Services Administration. Panelists addressed the issues raised in Hudson's talk on the intersection of social work, health care, public policy, and older adults.
- The annual Gero-Ed Center/AGE-SW Reception was also sponsored by the Institute for Geriatric Social Work at Boston University. During the reception, the winners of the Anita Rosen Awards for Outstanding Student Poster were announced. Kristie Kimbell (PhD), Heather Caton (MSW), and co-authors Terry Babb, Katie Neal, and Laura Cenkner (BSW) each received a plaque and $1,000 for their exceptional work. In addition, the Gero-Ed Center awarded the Best Practice Awards for Gerontological Social Work Innovation to the University of Montana School of Social Work and the West Chester University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate School of Social Work.
- The film festival was once again a hit, showcasing 14 different educational films on a wide variety of topics relating to social work and aging, including sexuality, healthcare, and community activism.
- In conjunction with the September 2008 publication of the State of the Science: Professional Partners Supporting Family Caregiving by the Journal of Social Work Education, the Gero-Ed Center sponsored a special session on caregiving. The panelists, Ashley Brooks-Danso of the Alzheimer's Association, JoAnn Damron-Rodriguez of the University of California, Los Angeles, Rhonda Montgomery of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Patricia Volland of the New York Academy of Medicine, discussed the research and best practices for social workers and other professionals to support informal caregivers.
Visit our Gero-Ed Track Web Page for more information!
October 2008
Volume 4, Number 2 - October 2008
In This Issue: Substance Abuse and Aging
Rates of substance abuse among older adults are increasing. This edition of Aging Times explores why social workers must be prepared to address this issue and what tools are available to both students and faculty.
Aging and Substance Use, Misuse, and Abuse
Kathleen J. Farkas, Case Western Reserve University
With rates of substance-dependency among older adults increasing, Professor Farkas describes the need for social workers to be knowledgeable of the substance abuse issues elders face.
Substance Use and Abuse Among Older Adults: Reflections from an MSW Student
Sarah Axner, MSW Student, Case Western Reserve University
One student worries that oversights in social work education may leave the next generation ill-prepared to meet the changing needs of an aging population.
Resources on Older Adults & Substance Abuse
The MAC Project
SAMHSA Web Resources and Publications (MS Word)
Gero-Ed Center Updates
Don’t Miss the Gero-Ed Track at the 2008 APM!
The 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting is only three weeks away, and the Gero-Ed Center is looking forward to seeing you at the Gero-Ed Track. Don’t miss this year’s special events!
State of the Science Report Released: Professional Partners Supporting Family Caregiving
This report, which identifies ways both social workers and nurses can better support family caregivers, is now available on the Gero-Ed Center Web site.
Faculty Development Institute at APM: Teaching Evidence-Based Aging Content in Mental Health, Substance Use, and Health
Register now for the MAC Project FDI at CSWE’s Annual Program Meeting to learn more about using research-based gerontological content in MSW advanced courses in mental health, substance use, health, and aging.
Gero-Ed Center Paper Session at APM on the Master’s Advanced Curriculum Project
Attend this paper session to learn more about results and progress of the MAC Project’s first year Gero Innovations Grant awardees.
Aging and Substance Use, Misuse, and Abuse
By Kathleen J. Farkas
Today approximately 1.7 million adults over age 50 are substance dependent. This group is expected to increase to 4.4 million by 2020 (Korper & Rasken, 2003). Why? What is happening to create such a surge in alcohol and other drug abuse among older adults?
Lifetime patterns of drug use provide one reason. Today’s middle-aged adults are accustomed to using prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals to treat illness and discomfort. Alcohol use has also been part of life for the baby boomer generation, and there is reason to expect alcohol use will continue as these cohorts age. Baby boomers have also used illegal substances, especially marijuana, at higher rates than previous cohorts, so there are expected changes in the prevalence and incidence rates of illicit substance use.
The size of future older cohorts will increase the need for substance abuse assessment and treatment services even if age-related prevalence rates of abuse and dependence remain constant. Bartels (2006) describes these age cohort changes as a “demographic tsunami” that requires additional attention to issues of substance use and commonly occurring mental disorders. These projections have implications for social work practice and education as well as for alcohol and other drug service delivery systems.
For most social workers, aging and substance abuse has not been a familiar intersection. Older adults are not the primary group seeking treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA) issues; there are few treatment programs and AODA practitioners reaching out to older persons. Among gerontological social workers, the topic of substance use, abuse, and dependence is easily masked by other later life medical, social, and psychological problems. Gerontological social workers may be well-versed in medication management, but not prepared to assess for intentional prescription drug misuse, alcohol or illicit drug abuse, or to make a referral to AODA treatment. Once an older person is enrolled in treatment, the AODA treatment staff may not have adequate skills to develop age-appropriate engagement strategies or interventions.
In social work education, there is a growing need to recognize the overlaps between AODA and aging practice to prepare students to address the substance use and abuse needs of older populations. Social work programs often mirror the separate silos of the practice community and neglect opportunities for cross training. AODA educators have specific knowledge of the literature on alcohol and other drug abuse. However, the majority of AODA research and teaching is with younger populations. Without specific content on older adults, most AODA specialization social work students will lack exposure to information about older adults. The same can be said for students in aging practice. Without specific content in AODA, they will lack tools for effective practice with substance-using older clients.
Fortunately, there is a growing body of research and empirically supported interventions on substance use, misuse and abuse among older adults. Through the generous support of the John A Hartford Foundation and CSWE’s Gero-Ed Center, this information will soon be available to all social work programs. The Substance Use and Aging Resource Review for Teaching (Farkas & Drabble, in press) discusses the empirical literature and describes curricula and teaching resources such as DVDs and web sites. The goal is to provide social work faculty with current and empirically based information on substance use, misuse, abuse, and dependence among older adults. The content can be added to AODA classes within social work programs to provide current and empirically based information and resources on substance use, misuse, abuse, and dependence among older adults.
Kathy Farkas holds a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, an A.M. from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University. She is an Associate Professor at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Her research and practice interests are in substance abuse assessment, diagnosis and treatment.
References
Bartels, S. (2006). The aging tsumani and geriatric mental health and substance use disorders. Journal of Dual Diagnosis, vol. 2(3) p.5.
Farkas, K. & Drabble, L. (In Press). Advanced MSW curriculum in substance use and aging. Available October 30, 2008: http://www.Gero-EdCenter.org/mac
Korper, S.P. & Raskin, I.R. (2003). The impact of substance use and abuse by the elderly: The next 20 to 30 years. In Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies. Substance Use by Older Adults: Estimates of Future Impact on the Treatment System.
Substance Use and Abuse Among Older Adults:
Reflections from an MSW student
By Sarah Axner
Through my personal and professional experience, especially in my field placement, I have learned that a surprising number of baby boomers are negatively affected by substance use. The behaviors I have seen first-hand range from smoking marijuana for recreation, to refusing to seek treatment for alcoholism, to obtaining sleep aid prescriptions for insomnia from two different doctors.
I became alarmed when I learned that the number of adults over the age of 50 who will require treatment for a substance abuse problem will be approximately 4.4 million in 2020 (Gfroerer et al., 2002; see also Simoni-Wastila & Keri Yang, 2006). I questioned if the individuals whom I know will be able to manage their abuse and dependency, or if they will need treatment in their older years. I wondered if appropriate screening assessments will be available to appropriately evaluate their situations.
I discovered very few substance abuse intervention strategies are currently in place for older adults. I also found out that although there are many assessment tools to screen for substance use, only a small number of these are appropriate for screening in the older adult population. In addition, few treatment programs exist that are specifically designed for older adults (Schultz, Arndt, & Liesveld, 2003).
Substance abuse assessment and treatment are not often addressed in gerontological practice courses, and aging is not a typical component of alcohol and other drug treatment curriculum. These oversights may leave the next generation of social workers ill prepared to meet the needs of older adults.
However, I remain optimistic. Awareness of the many changes that must be implemented for older adults in the next two decades is increasing. There is also a better understanding that treatment centers will be required to “address the special needs of the older population of substance abusers” (Gfroerer et al., 2002, p. 128). In addition, many social workers are now aware that “improved tools that measure substance use and abuse” (p. 134) must be developed for older adults in community and institutional settings.
Continued reflection of my personal experiences, research, and knowledge acquired while engaging in field practicum will help me to achieve my goal to become more competent in gerontological issues regarding substance abuse and dependency. To prepare myself for the realities of future practice in social work, I plan to participate in and contribute to specialized treatment programs, interventions, and assessments for older adults so that I may better accommodate their distinctive needs regarding substance use, abuse, and dependency.
Sarah Axner is currently a second year graduate student at Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. She is in the direct practice concentration specializing in the field of aging. She is completing her advanced field placement at The Benjamin Rose Adult Day Program and Partial Hospitalization Program in Cleveland, OH.
References
Gfroerer, J., Penne, M., Pemberton, M., Folsom, R. (2002). Substance abuse treatment need among older adults in 2020: the impact of the aging baby-boom cohort. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 69, 127-135.
Schultz, S. K., Arndt, S., Liesveld, J. (2003). Locations of facilities with special programs for older substance abuse clients in the US. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18, 839-843.
Simoni-Wastila, L., Keri Yang, H. (2006). Psychoactive drug abuse in older adults. The American Journal of Pharmacotherapy, 4(4), 380-394.
Don’t Miss the Gero-Ed Track at the 2008 APM!
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center invites you to attend the Gero-Ed Track (Thursday, October 30–Sunday, November 2) at the 2008 APM in Philadelphia, PA. In addition to the more than 70 paper, poster, workshop, and roundtable sessions, the Gero-Ed Center has several special events that must not be missed!
The keynote speaker for our Gero-Ed Track Kick-Off (Friday, October 31, 10:30 am–12:00 pm, Grand Ballroom D) is Robert Hudson, professor and chair, department of social welfare policy, Boston University School of Social Work and editor of the Public Policy & Aging Report. Hudson’s keynote address will focus on the policy challenges and practice implications of health care for older adults. The CSWE Gero-Ed Center is delighted to have such a highly regarded social work policy analyst kick-off the Gero-Ed Track!
Building on the healthcare theme introduced during the Gero-Ed Track Kick-Off, the Gero-Ed Center/AGE-SW Hot Topic Panel on Healthcare (Sunday, November 1, 10:30 am–12:00 pm, Grand Ballroom D) will further discuss health care issues facing older adults. Panelists for this sessions will be: Joan Weiss of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, Michelle Putnam of Simmons College, Grace Christ of Columbia University, and Patricia Volland of the New York Academy of Medicine.
We are also holding our 3rd Annual Anita Rosen Gerontology Awards for Outstanding Student Poster (Friday, October 31, 1:30 pm–3:00 pm, right front corner of the Exhibit Hall). Please tour this year’s student posters to support future gerontological social workers and view their wonderful work!
Don’t miss the Gero-Ed Center/Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGE-SW) Reception! The Reception (Friday, October 31, 6:00 pm–7:00 pm, Grand Ballroom D), which is also supported by the Institute for Geriatric Social Work at Boston University, is a place to network with your colleagues and meet the winners of the Rosen Awards and the Gero-Ed Center Best Practice Awards. Put this on your “must-attend” list!
The popular 3rd Annual Gero-Ed Center Film Festival will again feature films on aging issues that are appropriate for the classroom. Films will be shown throughout the conference, and a schedule of films will be available in the 2008 APM totebag.
With so many exciting events at the APM, it can be hard to keep track of everything you want to attend. Luckily, you can create your own customized calendar online using the CSWE’s Personal Scheduler. Go ahead and block off the Gero-Ed Track events today!
State of the Science Report Released: Professional Partners Supporting Family Caregiving
Today, families and other unpaid caregivers (such as friends and neighbors) are the primary providers of long-term care in the United States. Family members are often unprepared to take on the monumental task of caregiving.
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, national organizations representing nurses, social workers, family caregivers and people age 50 and older produced a report calling for a re-definition of good patient care to include those family members and friends who provide ongoing, often daily, care. The report, “State of the Science: Professional Partners Supporting Family Caregiving,” is a joint endeavor of the AARP Foundation, the American Journal of Nursing, the Council on Social Work Education and its Journal of Social Work Education, the Family Caregiver Alliance, and Rutgers Center for State Health Policy with funding from the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundation.
To access the report, please visit the Family Caregiving Section of the Gero-Ed Center Web site where the full text version of JSWE is posted. The report is also available through the American Journal of Nursing Web site. If you a member of the Council on Social Work on Education, please watch your mail for this special issue of JSWE
Faculty Development Institute: Teaching Evidence-Based Aging Content in Mental Health, Substance Use, and Health
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center’s Master’s Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project, funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation, will launch the Web-based gerontological Resource Reviews for faculty teaching in the areas of mental health, substance use, and health. These Resource Reviews, which include case studies, lecture notes, and PowerPoint presentations, will be presented and discussed during the MAC Project’s Faculty Development Institute (FDI) at CSWE’s Annual Program Meeting (APM).
During the FDI session, the Resource Review authors will demonstrate how to include research-based aging content in MSW advanced courses in the three specialty areas. Kevin Hennessy, the science to service coordinator at the U.S Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will also discuss how social work faculty can use and submit their own research to the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.
Gero-Ed Center Paper Session at APM on the Master’s Advanced Curriculum Project
Be sure to attend the Master’s Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project paper session from 1:30 pm–3:00 pm in Room 413 on Friday, October 31 at the 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting.
Leaders from the MAC Project’s Gero Innovations Grant (GIG) are the presenters for this event. The purpose of the GIG is to increase gerontological competencies in the advanced practice areas of substance use, mental health, and health, by developing, implementing, and evaluating gerontological innovations into curriculum and related field opportunities.
During this session, the GIG project directors will present an in-depth look at some of their gerontological innovations in each of the three specialty areas. The titles and authors of the three papers are:
A. Piloting a Gero-Infused Curriculum in Advanced-Level MSW Courses—Judy Fenster, Adelphi University. (Focus on substance use)
B. Using Web-Based Technology to Expose Advanced-Year Students to Geriatric Mental Health—Caroline Rosenthal Gelman, New York University. (Focus on mental health)
C. Gero Innovations in the Advanced MSW Curriculum: Outcomes and Lessons Learned—Jay Poole, University of North Carolina, Greensboro. (Focus on health)
June 2008
Volume 3, Number 6 - June 2008
In This Issue: GSWI 10th Anniversary
For the past decade, the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative has supported innovative programming to increase gerontology in social work education, research, and practice. This special Aging Times celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Hartford GSWI.
My Journey From Child Welfare to Gerontology
Cheryl Waites, Wayne State University
After many years in social work practice and education, Cheryl Waites found her calling to "change the world" thanks to the Hartford GSWI programs.
History of Hartford GSWI at CSWE
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of GSWI, we look back at the history and accomplishments of CSWE’s curriculum development projects.
Resources
www.GSWI.org - Web site for the GSWI and its projects
Ripples - The monthly e-newsletter from GSWI
Faculty/Student Opportunities
APM Gero-Ed Track Kick-Off Speaker Announced
Dr. Robert B. Hudson will be this year’s Gero-Ed Track Kick-Off speaker. Join us in Philadelphia; register for APM today!
Strong CDI and BEL Applications Received
The number of Cycle 2 CDI and BEL Program applications received indicates a growing interest in gerontology.
Caregiving Initiative Committee Plans Dissemination
The interdisciplinary caregiving initiative, of which CSWE is a partner, is planning to disseminate its final report.
Landmark IOM Report Addresses Health Care Work Force
The Institute of Medicine has released Retooling for an Aging America, which includes a section specifically for social workers.
New CSWE Film Explores Practice With Older Adults
The new DVD Rewarding Challenges: Social Work With Older Adults is a user-friendly way to infuse gerontology into your classroom.
My Journey From Child Welfare to Gerontology
By Cheryl Waites
Like many baby boomers in the field of social work, I entered the profession hoping to change the world. After many years of practice in child welfare, along with years in the academy, I found that gerontology was my call to make a difference. My transformation began as I looked around and saw my family, friends, and children aging. I was fascinated by the demographic shifts taking place in our society and the impact of the aging baby boomers, increased longevity, growth in the number of centenarians, caregiving demands, and the projected diversity of the aging population. I was also concerned about social justice issues, specifically health disparity and access to quality health care. Furthermore, workforce issues regarding the shortages of social workers who were prepared to work with older adults were alarming. I saw an opportunity to make a difference by preparing the next generation of social workers for practice with older adults and their families as well as to engage in research that would inform education and practice.
As a new associate professor at North Carolina State University, with a background in child welfare, mental health, and a few years of working as a consultant at a nursing home, I teamed with my colleague Othelia Lee and applied for a GeroRich grant funded by the Hartford Foundation. When we received the grant, my transformation began. As a GeroRich project director, I worked to develop innovative strategies and programs to promote the infusion of aging content and competencies into our social work undergraduate program. I enhanced my knowledge regarding gerontology, competency-based education, and curricular change models and embraced an approach focused on intergenerational relationship building as the hook to motivate student’s interest in social work practice with older adults.
The GeroRich Project provided an opportunity to work with geriatric social workers, educators, and researchers locally and across the country. I benefitted immensely from interacting with and being mentored by established scholars whose work has advanced social work research on aging and geriatric social work education. I have been so impressed by the commitment, mentoring, scholarship, and service of leaders in the field.
After my GeroRich adventure, I have participated in several other GSWI programs. I was an Expert Trainer and CDI Mentor with the Gero-Ed Center and also participated in the NIA/NIH and Hartford Institute on Aging and Social Work, cohort I. In 2006, I was selected as a Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar, cohort VII, which has funded my research on topic “Promising Health Promotion Strategies and Interventions: Social Work Practice With Racial and Ethnic Elders.” Currently, I am the Associate Dean at Wayne State University School of Social Work, which recently received a Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE) grant, and I continue to work with faculty and staff regarding gerontological curricula infusion, innovation, and research.
The convergence of all these experiences has shaped my scholarship and teaching. My interest and work have been positively advanced by the mentoring, training, and support received from the GSWI programs and the colleagues that I have shared these experiences with. This has been a wonderful journey, thus far. I look forward to continuing my research, scholarship and curricula innovation, with a goal of making a contribution to advancing knowledge and theory regarding healthy aging, health promotion, intergenerational relationships and culturally responsive social work practice with older adults and their families.
Cheryl Waites is the Associate Dean at Wayne State University School of Social Work and the Co Director of the Wayne State University Gerontology Certificate Program. She was recently appointed to the Michigan State Advisory Council on Aging. She has published several articles and made many presentations as an outgrowth of her participation in the Hartford GSWI programs. She was also editor of the new book Social Work Practice With African American Families: An Intergenerational Perspective, which was recently released.
History of Hartford GSWI at CSWE
Since 1998, the John A. Hartford Foundation of New York City has invested $64.5 million in its Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI), with over $14.5 million given to the CSWE faculty and curriculum development projects. This unparalleled investment has dramatically accelerated the progress of gerontological social work education nationally. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Hartford funding for the social work profession, the Aging Timespresents this brief history of the GSWI at CSWE.
CSWE was proud to be the home of the first GSWI project, the Strengthening Aging and Gerontology in Social Work Education (SAGE-SW) Project, in 1998. By focusing on faculty development, a major accomplishment of SAGE-SW was the training of over 625 faculty at 24 national Faculty Development Institute (FDI) workshops. In 2001, the CSWE Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education Project (GeroRich) became the second curriculum project of the GSWI. In contrast to the individual faculty development approach of SAGE-SW, GeroRich emphasized curricular and programmatic change by funding 67 social work programs to implement gerontological infusion throughout their curriculum and organizational culture.
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center ( National Center for Gerontological Social Work Education), funded in 2004, built upon the lessons learned from both projects and addressed both curricular and faculty development. Now funded through 2011, the Gero-Ed Center encompasses a range of programs to train faculty, recruit students, and design both specialized and gerontologically infused foundation classroom content. For example, the Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) Program utilizes a planned curricular change model, and the Gero-Ed Track at the CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) has increased and institutionalized gerontological content at the Annual Meeting.
While the Gero-Ed Center continues the overarching goal of infusing gerontological competencies throughout foundation curriculum and programmatic structures, this goal has been expanded to include a number of complementary approaches for maximum national impact on the preparation of gerontologically-competent graduates. These include strategies to recruit more students to gerontological social work through partnerships with admissions staff and the BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program; expanded eLearning courses; development of gerontologically-specific curriculum structures; and approaches to infuse gero content into foundation social work textbooks.
The Gero-Ed Center efforts have also extended to infusion in three areas of MSW specialization, which attract more students than gerontological concentrations. Since 2007, the MSW Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project has funded 14 programs to embed gerontological competencies in the specialized areas of health, mental health, and substance use. National resource review groups have developed evidence-based curricular resources that will be disseminated nationally, beginning late fall 2008
While the CSWE projects have focused on classroom curriculum, the Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE), initiated in 1999, at the New York Academy of Medicine addresses the advanced field curriculum for MSW students and has implemented a rotational model of field education and innovative partnerships with community agencies. Two other GSWI programs promote faculty and doctoral student research capacity. These are the Hartford Faculty Scholars Program, funded in 1999, which is building the geriatric research capacity of social work faculty, and the Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program, funded since 2000, which provides dissertation support and professional development opportunities for doctoral students conducting gerontological research. In 2005, the Doctoral Fellows Program introduced its Pre-Dissertation Award, which provides travel grants to national conferences to encourage doctoral students early in their studies to consider conducting dissertation research in aging.
The success of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative in building a national movement in gerontological social work education is the result of the combined work of all GSWI projects and their participants over the past 10 years. For this, the Gero-Ed Center celebrates the accomplishments of all faculty, students and community partners who have participated in the GSWI programs.
Ripples
If you would like more information about the ongoing work of the Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI), as well as aging-related news, research, resources, and funding opportunities, subscribe to the GSWI monthly e-newsletter Ripples. The current issue is now available online.
APM Gero-Ed Track Kick-Off Speaker Announced
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Robert B. Hudson will deliver this year’s keynote address at the Gero-Ed Track Kick-Off on Friday, October 31. Dr. Hudson, Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Welfare Policy at Boston University School of Social Work, will speak on the critical health care issues that both older Americans and those who provide services to them will confront in the coming years. This is only one of the many special events that the Gero-Ed Center is planning for the Gero-Ed Track, which will be announced in the coming months.
The Gero-Ed Track is 1 of 38 tracks at the 54th CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) in Philadelphia, October 30—November 2, 2008. Registration is now open on the CSWE APM Web page. Register before Friday, September 12 to take advantage of a special early-bird discount. We also encourage you to reserve your hotel room early on the CSWE Attendee/Exhibitor housing Web site in order to lock in the discounted conference rate. (If you are student, please visit the special student housing Web site.) The discounted hotel rates are available until the block of rooms is filled or until October 6, whichever comes first. To help you plan your trip, the APM Preliminary Program (PDF) is now available online.
We hope that you will join us in Philadelphia for the 2008 APM Gero-Ed Track. For more information on these and other APM events, along with conference and hotel registration, visit the APM Web site.
Strong CDI and BEL Applications Received
The Gero-Ed Center received strong applications for both the Cycle 2 Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) Program and BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program. This reflects a continuing interest in infusing gerontology into the social work curriculum and introducing students to social work with older adults. The applicants represent a diverse pool of social work programs by size, rural or urban setting, and student populations ,and generally have not had prior Hartford GSWI funding. With these applications currently under review, the grantees will be announced in the July issue of CSWE Focus and the August issue of Aging Times.
Caregiving Initiative Committee Plans Dissemination
The National Advisory Committee of the Nurses and Social Workers Supporting Family Caregivers project met at the CSWE offices on Tuesday, May 6, 2008, to discuss future interdisciplinary strategies to better serve family caregivers, including the development and dissemination of competencies for social workers and nurses. Social work practitioners and educators on this committee are Ashley Brooks-Danso, Robyn Golden, Lisa Gwyther, Nancy Hooyman, Katie Maslow, Rhonda Montgomery, and Pat Volland.
This meeting was a follow-up from the 2-day State of the Science: Nurses & Social Workers Supporting Family Caregivers symposium in Washington, DC earlier this year. As part of the committee’s dissemination plan, a special supplemental issue of the Journal of Social Work Education in September 2008 will publish the final report and peer-reviewed papers focused on family caregiving practices, education, research, and policy from the symposium.
The symposium, meeting and forthcoming publication are part of an ongoing caregiving initiative funded by the John A. Hartford and the Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundations. The initiative is a partnership between CSWE, AARP,American Journal of Nursing, Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), and Rutgers University.
Landmark IOM Report Addresses Health Care Workforce
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies recently released a comprehensive report, Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Work Force. (To see a full copy of this report, as well as an overview and associated fact sheet, please click here.)
This groundbreaking report concludes that if America wants to benefit from older adults' continuing commitment to their families, communities, and the country, we need to transform how we care for an expanding group of people who will live—and contribute—for years with multiple chronic health conditions. The health care workforce lacks both the size and the skill to care for the growing older population and its unique needs. Therefore, Retooling for an Aging America lays out a three-pronged strategy, with associated recommendations, that focuses on:
- Improving all health professionals' ability to deliver geriatric care
- Increasing the recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and caregivers
- Redesigning models of care and broadening provider and patient roles to achieve greater flexibility
Social workers are specifically addressed in Chapter 4, “The Professional Health Care Workforce,” along with recognition of the CSWE Gero-Ed Center’s work. T he John A. Hartford Foundation was a major sponsor of this project. The analysis and many of the recommendations of Retooling for an Aging America reflect the approaches the Foundation and its grantees, including the Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI) and Gero-Ed Center, have pursued during the last 20 years.
CSWE has also released a statement (PDF) summarizing the IOM report and linking it to the current Senate billCaring for an Aging America (S.2708). This bill would offer loan repayment to attract and retain health care and direct care professionals, including social workers, to the field of practice with older adults. CSWE is a listed as a supporter of this bill, and Gero-Ed Center staff worked closely with Senator Boxer’s office in developing the bill.
New CSWE Film Explores Practice With Older Adults
CSWE Press is proud to announce the release of the new DVD Rewarding Challenges: Social Work With Older Adults, an invaluable teaching resource that illustrates both foundation practice skills and gerontological social work competencies.
The film follows two social work students, Sarah and Ben, as they encounter gerontological issues in their field placements. In the first scenario, Sarah visits the home of a man whose wife has recently passed away. In the second vignette, Ben has helped an older woman with dementia find services and now meets with her daughter who is struggling with her role as her mother’s primary caregiver. Each scenario is followed by a supervisory session, in which the students and their field supervisor reflect on the encounters. During these supervisory sessions, we watch as Sarah and Ben confront their preconceived notions of older adults and reflect on the ways they can better serve their clients. The film ends with 10 Essential Teaching Points for Working With Older Adults, which provides an excellent take-away message.
By portraying real-life scenarios that students may encounter in practice and then reflecting on those experiences within a solid social work competency framework, this film is a great resource to infuse gerontological competencies into your classroom while also addressing foundation practice skills. With its separate vignettes and reflections, it can easily be incorporated into existing classroom discussions. To order your copy of this exciting new film, visit the CSWE Press Bookstore today.
August 2008
Volume 4, Number 1 - August 2008
Faculty/Student Opportunities
Exciting Gero-Ed Track Events at the 2008 APM
Don’t miss these special Gero-Ed Track events at the 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting in Philadelphia. Register by September 12 for a special Early Bird discount.
Cycle 2 CDI Program Grantees Announced
The Gero-Ed Center congratulates the 46 programs that were recently selected to participate in the Cycle 2 CDI Program.
Cycle 1 BEL Program Grantees Announced
The Gero-Ed Center congratulates the 20 BSW programs selected to participate in Cycle 1 of the BEL Program.
Hartford GSWI YouTube™ Student Contest: This Is Social Work & Aging
In celebration of the Hartford GSWI’s 10th Anniversary, AGE-SW and the John A. Hartford Foundation are sponsoring a special student YouTube™ contest with a $1000 grand prize! Encourage your students to submit today.
Transitions at the Gero-Ed Center
A letter from Nancy Hooyman about recent staff changes for the CSWE Gero-Ed Center and the John A. Hartford Foundation.
Exciting Gero-Ed Track Events at the 2008 APM
With over 71 paper, poster, workshop, and roundtable presentations on research and curricular gerontological issues, this year’s APM Gero-Ed Track (October 30–November 2) promises to be an exciting event. In addition to these formal presentations, many of our popular special events return this year.
Robert B. Hudson of Boston University School of Social Work delivers this year’s Gero-Ed Track Kick-Off keynote address, Health Care: Policy Challenges and Practice Implications, on Friday, October 31 at 10:30 AM (Grand Ballroom D). The CSWE Gero-Ed Center is delighted to have such a highly regarded social work policy analyst commence the Gero-Ed Track. Visit the Gero-Ed Track Page on the Gero-Ed Center Web site for more information.
The focus on health care continues the next day with the AGE-SW/Gero-Ed Center Hot Topic Panel: Health Care. This year’s panel has been moved to the daytime—Saturday, November 2 at 10:30 AM (Grand Ballroom D) —in response to past attendees’ recommendations to avoid a panel that conflicts with evening social events.. Panelists include: Joan Weiss, Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA), Michelle Putnam, Simmons College, Grace Christ, Columbia University, and Patricia Volland, New York Academy of Medicine. (Note that the AGE-SW/Gero-Ed Center reception that usually accompanies this panel will take place on Friday night – see below.)
Students eligible for the 3rd Annual Anita Rosen Gerontology Awards for Outstanding Student Poster will present their work at the special student poster session on Friday, October 31 at 1:30 PM in the Exhibit Hall. Come support these students and recognize their hard work! Awards will be presented at the AGE-SW/Gero-Ed Center Reception on Friday, October 31 at 6:00 PM in Grand Ballroom D.
The 3rd Annual Gero-Ed Film Festival will again feature films on aging issues appropriate for the classroom. Films will be shown throughout the conference, and a schedule of films will be available in the 2008 APM Final Program.
Register today and block off these events on your calendar; we recommend making your housing and other travel arrangements early. (Students may visit the special student housing site.) When the CSWE APM online scheduler opens on August 25, you will be able to finalize the remainder of your schedule.
Join us in Philadelphia for these and other events at the 2008 CSWE APM (October 30-November 2)!
Cycle 2 CDI Program Grantees Announced
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center is pleased to announce the 46 institutions participating in the Cycle 2 Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) Program:
| Appalachian State University |
Park University |
| Bethany College |
Prairie View A&M University |
| Bethel College |
Savannah State University |
| Binghamton University |
Slippery Rock University |
| Briar Cliff University |
Smith College |
| Buena Vista University |
Spalding University |
| Campbellsville University |
University of Arkansas at Monticello |
| Catholic University of America |
University of Central Florida |
| Christopher Newport University |
University of Central Missouri |
| East Central University |
University of Connecticut |
| Ferris State University |
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| Florida International University |
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus |
| Grand Valley State University |
University of South Florida |
| Johnson C. Smith University |
The University of Texas at Arlington |
| Luther College |
University of West Florida |
| Marywood University |
Wayne State University |
| Mississippi Valley State University |
West Chester University |
| Mount Mary College |
West Virginia University |
| New Mexico Highlands University |
Western Illinois University |
| New Mexico State University |
Western Michigan University |
| North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University |
Western New Mexico University |
| Northwestern College |
William Woods University |
| Oakwood University |
Xavier University |
The Cycle 2 CDI Program will use the same model of planned change and infusion of gerontological competencies implemented in the Cycle 1 CDI Program (2004-2007). A central tenet of this model is that programmatic-level change is essential to embed and sustain gerontology within both a program’s foundation curriculum and its organizational culture (e.g., infusing gerontology into a program’s mission and goals; curriculum decision-making structure; recruitment materials, library, and media holdings).
To support competency-based curricular change planning and implementation, each participating social work program will receive a $5,000 grant. In addition, up to 2 faculty participants at each program will receive a maximum of $2,100 travel reimbursement over 3 years to attend the annual CDI Workshops at the CSWE APM. This represents an over $400,000 investment from the John A. Hartford Foundation and the CSWE Gero-Ed Center to social work education at both the baccalaureate and master’s levels.
Cycle 1 BEL Program Grantees Announced
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center is pleased to announce the 20 Cycle 1 BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program grantees (i.e. BSW programs):
| Ball State University |
Skidmore College |
| East Central University |
State University of New York Fredonia |
| Ferris State University |
University of Arkansas at Little Rock |
| Fordham University |
University of Central Missouri |
| Loyola University Chicago |
University of Maine |
| Luther College |
University of North Carolina Greensboro |
| Michigan State University |
University of North Texas |
| Miles College |
University of Portland |
| Saint Louis University |
Wayne State University |
| Shepherd University |
West Virginia University |
Representing an almost $150,000 investment from the John A. Hartford Foundation and the CSWE Gero-Ed Center in BSW education, the Cycle 1 BEL Program provides each program up to $7,500 over 2 years to develop, implement, and evaluate experiential learning opportunities for their students to interact with older adults.
The purpose of the BEL Program is to recruit more BSW students interested in aging and in working with older adults. When undergraduate students have positive experiences directly interacting with older adults, their misconceptions, negative attitudes, or fears about aging are frequently reduced or dispelled. They then may be more likely to pursue gerontological social work courses and/or employment or an MSW degree focused on older adults.
The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Cycle 2 BEL Program will be available on the Gero-Ed Center Web site in early 2009, and we encourage all eligible BSW programs to apply (or reapply) at that time. Information sessions will be held at the 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) in Philadelphia and the 2009 BPD Annual Conference in Phoenix.
Hartford GSWI YouTube™ Student Contest: This Is Social Work & Aging
As we reported in the June issue of Aging Times, the Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI) is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year. To help celebrate this occasion, the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGE-SW) and the John A. Hartford Foundation are sponsoring the “This Is Social Work & Aging” Contest, the first YouTube™ contest open exclusively to social work students. The first place prize is $1000 and paid travel expenses to the 2008 Gerontological Society of America (GSA) conference.
The Gero-Ed Center encourages faculty to share a student flyer about this contest with their eligible students and 2008 grads. Think creatively about how to get students involved: use it as an extra credit assignment; share it with your program’s student groups; make it a class project; or whatever you think would be appropriate.
To enter, students must create a video responding to the prompt: “This is social work & aging…” incorporating this phrase in some way into the video. Participants must be a social work student(s) enrolled in a BSW, MSW, or Social Work PhD level program during the 2007-2008 and/or 2008-2009 school year. All eligible students and 2008 grads are encouraged to apply and group submissions are welcomed. Visit www.gswi.org/YouTube_Student_Contest.htm for official rules and complete instructions.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday, October 5, 2008. Download and share the Student Flyer.
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center is part of the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI), which is helping define and promote the special role of social workers to improve and provide vital services in the care of older adults.
For more information on the GSWI and all of its programs, visit www.gswi.org.
Transitions at the Gero-Ed Center
Dear Colleagues:
I am writing to update you about a number of changes in personnel associated with the CSWE Gero-Ed Center and Hartford Foundation. As with all outstanding staff, a number of our colleagues are moving into some exciting phases in their careers.
We sadly announce that Jim O’Sullivan, Senior Program Officer for the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative, left the Hartford Foundation on July 31 st to join the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors as director of foundation services. He will lead a team of six people providing consultation and management for up to 75 private philanthropy clients in the U.S. and abroad. This is a wonderful career move for Jim, but a real loss for the CSWE Gero-Ed Center. Jim has been such a strong advocate of social work and of the importance of curricular change. The foundation has assured us that they remain committed to building the capacity of geriatric social work. While they search for Jim’s successor, Rachael Watman, MSW, Hartford Program Officer, will manage the social work grants in addition to her work with Nursing.
Ashley Brooks-Danso, CSWE Gero-Ed Center Co-Director, joined the Center in August 2004. In May, she moved to St. Paul, MN for family reasons, where she has continued to help manage several of our programs until her replacement was hired. She is now Family and Community Education Manager for the Alzheimer's Association - Minnesota/North Dakota Chapter, where she is responsible for educating families and the community about Alzheimer's Disease, and increasing the awareness about the Association through classes, health fairs, and an annual conference.
Two of our other staff have recently applied and been accepted to MSW programs. Jason Echols, Program Assistant who managed all our communications, including the Web site, is moving to St. Louis to pursue an MSW at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. Arya Karki, Administrative Assistant, has been accepted into the MSW program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. Arya departed in June to spend time with her family prior to starting her graduate studies this fall. We are delighted that we have recruited Jason and Arya to social work, even though we will greatly miss their contributions to the Center. A temporary Administrative Assistant has been working with us since June, and a search has been initiated to permanently fill both positions.
I trust you will join me in expressing our appreciation for all that these individuals have contributed to advancing geriatric social work by providing their time, energy, and skill to the CSWE Gero-Ed Center.
As we move forward, we are pleased to announce the hiring of Meredith Eisenhart, who has assumed the Alexandria-based Co-Director position, as of Monday, July 28. Meredith received both her BA and her MSW from Washington University. Since her 2006 graduation from the Brown School, she has served as Project Coordinator at the Administration on Aging, where she was responsible for co-managing and monitoring 41 federal grants for AoA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Demonstration Grants to States program. We are delighted to have Meredith joining us and are confident she will continue to provide the same high quality programming and staff responsiveness characteristic of the Gero-Ed Center. Many of you will have the chance to meet her at the 2008 CSWE APM in Philadelphia.
If you have any questions about these changes, please feel free to contact me at hooy@u.washington.edu.
Nancy R. Hooyman, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator
CSWE Gero-Ed Center
April 2008
Volume 3, Number 5 - April 2008
In This Issue: Careers in Aging
In celebration of GSA and AGHE’s national Careers in Aging Week, this special issue of Aging Times features the stories & varied experiences of recent graduates working in the field of gerontological social work.
Maintaining Quality of Life: A BSW Perspective on Careers in Aging
Moira Schuhart, BSW—Director of Activities at Fairfax Nursing Center and The Gardens at Fair Oaks Assisted Living
An Emerging Career in Aging: An MSW Perspective as a Government Contractor
Meredith Eisenhart, MSW—Project Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Disease Demonstration Grants to States Program at the U.S. Administration on Aging
From Practice to Academia: A PhD Perspective on Careers in Aging
Robin Bonifas, PhD—Assistant Professor at Arizona State University School of Social Work
Careers in Aging Resources
Job search engines and other career resources for students.
2008 National Careers in Aging Week
Social work programs across the country join other disciplines in celebrating this annual event.
Faculty/Student Opportunities
APM Gero-Ed Track: Reserve Your Hotel Room
Join us this fall in Philadelphia for the CSWE APM Gero-Ed Track. Reserve your room at a special conference rate today.
BSW Programs: Apply for BEL Program Funding
Applications for this unique BSW funding opportunity are due in a month. Apply now for the BEL Program.
Cycle 2 CDI Applications Due This Tuesday
Tuesday, April 15th is the deadline for Cycle 2 CDI Program applications. Apply today.
Gero-Ed Events at BPD Draw Standing Room Crowds
Gero-Ed Center staff spoke about new opportunities to enthusiastic crowds at the 2008 BPD Conference in Destin, FL.
Next Issue: GSWI Celebrates 10 Years
This month, the John A. Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI) begins a year-long celebration of its 10th Anniversary. The June issue of Aging Times will celebrate this milestone of a decade of Hartford support for gerontology in social work education, research, and practice. We'll also announce a special student YouTube contest to help celebrate this anniversary. Check out the June issue for more details.
Maintaining Quality of Life: A BSW Perspective on Careers in Aging
By Moira Schuhart, BSW
When individuals enter a long-term care facility, they are frequently in crisis. Entering an institutional environment means profound changes in levels of independence, life status, and family roles. These changes are frequently complicated by losses experienced in the recent past, such as the loss of other family members or life-partners, home or physical functioning, and cognitive functioning. Families are also in crisis as they wrestle with the emotional and financial issues of placing a beloved family member in a long-term care facility.
This is a scenario I often see as the activities director in a respected 200-bed long-term care facility that provides skilled nursing care to older adults. While in my BSW program, I became interested in working with older adults after taking a class in aging. I looked for internships that would provide me with experience. During that time I saw that activities provided a way for residents to reintegrate into the community. I was interested in therapy through play and the special relationship between activities professionals and residents. When my internship offered me a full time position, I jumped at the chance.
As an activities professional, I help facilitate the transition into long-term care, assist residents in integrating into the new community, and support them as they redefine their roles within the family system. We do this by organizing group activities, such as outings to museums or playing games in-house; we also provide individualized attention: facilitating sensory stimulation activities, talking with residents and supporting them in meeting their goals. In short, activities professionals assist residents in maintaining the highest quality of life possible.
The job of an activities professional is unique within the long-term care facility. While our services are rooted in therapeutic methodology, the therapeutic aspect is necessarily obscured by the delivery system: i.e., entertainment and social enjoyment. As a result, residents and family members often perceive our department as separate from the medical establishment in the facility. While this perceived separation allows for a secondary familial relationship to develop among residents, their families, and the activities professionals, it can also be counter-productive. Activities departments are often seen as mere entertainment services and not taken seriously by other professionals within the care facility. However, this attitude is slowly changing as state guidelines for the industry focus on quality-of-life issues. In addition, a growing body of research on the relationship of quality-of-life to resident health and happiness demonstrates the importance of such activities to the residents’ overall well-being. Indeed, a professionally managed activities program is one of the most important considerations for families when choosing a facility.
The result of this research and regulation has been a professionalization of the activities field: administrators are beginning to look for trained social workers, credentialed recreational therapists, and other degreed human service providers to fill activities roles within their facilities. The modern activities director must be thoroughly trained in not only the issues of aging and caregiving, but also in the state and federal laws which regulate our field. Given the dramatic increase in the population age 85 and older, the future demands for social workers in this field can only increase. Recent and future BSW social work graduates can expect good career prospects in the field of long-term care and other aging services.
Moira Schuhart graduated with her BSW degree from George Mason University in 2005. She is Certified Activities Director and works as the Director of Activities at Fairfax Nursing Center and The Gardens at Fair Oaks Assisted Living in Fairfax, VA.
An Emerging Career in Aging: An MSW Perspective as a Government Contractor
By Meredith Eisenhart, MSW
I like to think that a series of fortunate coincidences since childhood - and later intentional decisions - has smoothly guided me to a career in aging. I grew up in a neighborhood that was filled with people who we would now describe as “aging in place,” and I still fondly remember Mrs. Rebert’s warm cookies and Emma and Alta’s domino set. Even when we moved from that neighborhood, older adults weren’t gone from my life for long. A nursing home was adjacent to my middle school, and each week we went over to visit our “grandparent.” Then, in high school, I volunteered at a continuous care retirement center near my house where, as it turned out, Emma and Alta had recently moved.
When I went to college and wanted to “work with people,” the natural choice was to work with the population that instinctively appealed to me - older adults. It was at this point that my series of fortunate coincidences turned into a series of carefully considered choices. I entered the School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis with Gerontology as my concentration. The two years I spent working toward my MSW were invaluable in three areas: the group assignments that mimicked the work environment more than any exam possibly could; the practicum I held at the St. Louis chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association; and the relationships I developed with my gerontology professors and in the field.
My internship at the Alzheimer’s Association developed into a part-time job. I helped run a telephone support program where volunteers with early stage memory loss would telephone others in the community who also had memory loss in order to share experiences and develop relationships with each other.
Today, I am the Project Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Disease Demonstration Grants to States (ADDGS) program at the Administration on Aging (AoA), and I work alongside the ADDGS Project Director in managing grants in 38 states. This has allowed me to meet people across the country who are working to create dementia-capable systems that serve people with dementia and their caregivers in their communities. I found this position, again rather coincidentally, through AgeWork.com, the Gerontological Society of America’s online job registry. It suited me perfectly because the telephone support program at the St. Louis Alzheimer’s Association was funded through an ADDGS grant.
This position has opened my eyes to two different worlds: being a social worker in the federal government and being a social worker as a government contractor since AoA runs ADDGS through a contract with RTI International. One of the surprises I happily learned is that there are many social workers in the federal government, particularly agencies with a service-emphasis. The stereotyped federal bureaucrat is a rare exception to the majority who are energetic and passionate. While “federal employee” and “government contractor” are not job titles that most people associate with social work, I think social workers with passion for policy, programs, research, or systems level change are uniquely skilled for both types of jobs.
Meredith Eisenhart, MSW is the Project Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Disease Demonstration Grants to States Program at the U.S. Administration on Aging through a contract with RTI International. She graduated from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis in 2006 with a concentration in gerontology.
From Practice to Academia: A PhD Perspective on Careers in Aging
By Robin Bonifas, PhD
Several years ago, the film Titanic captured the imagination of millions. Given the success of artifact exhibits, the public remains enthralled with the ocean liner’s ill-fated voyage. Considering this, can you imagine speaking with someone whose loved one perished on the Titanic or actually meeting someone who survived the disaster? Many would jump at the chance for such an experience! And yet, as a social worker specializing in aging, interacting with such historically interesting individuals is par for the course.
I started working with older adults in 1985 and was privileged to interact with a client whose older sister had been a passenger who died on the Titanic. The discovery of the ship’s wreckage in September of that year brought back many memories for her, and the reflections she shared made the Titanic’s disastrous voyage very real to me nearly 75 years later. Indeed, the opportunity to connect with people who had lived through events I had only read about was one of the initial attractions for me to work with elders. Since my original Titanic client, I have worked with elders who were at the bombing of Pearl Harbor, survived the Bataan Death March, and lived in Japanese internment camps. It is humbling to hear their stories.
Now I am an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University, but before beginning my academic career, I was a social worker in various skilled nursing facilities. Most of my clients experienced multiple chronic illnesses, significant physical and cognitive disabilities, late life mental health conditions – and all while living in poverty. In spite of these realities, social work practice in skilled nursing facilities is neither depressing nor boring; on the contrary, it is highly rewarding work.
For example, comprehensive assessment in nursing home practice is always fascinating, given older residents’ multiple co-morbid conditions. Considerable trial and error is necessary to determine whether a psychosocial symptom, such as anxiety, stems from a psychosocial problem rather than an acute or chronic medical condition, a medication reaction, or an environmental response. Furthermore, the level of complexity involved in teasing out the underlying cause necessitates team work; consulting with doctors, nurses, and physical therapists, nursing assistants and housekeepers was a regular part of my day. Such exposure to the diverse perspectives of a multidisciplinary staff deepens clinical insight. Moreover, helping other disciplines to consider elder’s needs from a social work point of view is also gratifying. Components of my social work education, specifically group work skills, the person-in-environment framework, and the strengths-based approach, were most important assets in my practice. Now, I am able to focus on these skills in my own teaching.
I left practice to seek a doctorate degree and a career in academia for three reasons. First, my work brought me into contact with many nursing home social workers who endeavored to provide effective services but received minimal guidance regarding how to do so. While these clinicians held the values of a strengths-based approach and client advocacy, translating this knowledge into best practices proved overwhelming in the context of regulatory requirements and extreme frailty. Through teaching, I hoped to prepare social workers to bridge such gaps. Second, I became increasingly aware of the negative impact of federal policy and organizational factors on nursing home social workers’ effectiveness and aspired through research to identify methods to support social workers’ practice capacity. Last, I was discouraged by the lack of interest in aging that I perceived among professional colleagues, particularly in relation to frail elders. I longed for opportunities to share the joys of my practice experience with others to challenge negative stereotypes about aging and ultimately inspire more students to choose gerontological social work careers.
Robin Bonifas received her PhD from the University of Washington Seattle in 2007. While at the University of Washington, she was a Hartford Doctoral Fellow (Cohort V) with her dissertation Factors Associated with Effective Psychosocial Care in Washington State Skilled Nursing Facilities. She is now an assistant professor at Arizona State University School of Social Work.
APM Gero-Ed Track: Reserve Your Hotel Room
The Gero-Ed Track had the highest number of abstract submissions among the 38 CSWE APM tracks this year, pointing to a sustained, strong interest in gerontology at the 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM). Abstract proposals are currently being reviewed, and results will be sent to submitters by Friday, June 6.
We hope that you will join us in Philadelphia, October 30–November 2, 2008, for the 54th APM. We encourage you to reserve your hotel room early on the CSWE Attendee/Exhibitor housing Web site in order to lock in the discounted conference rate. (If you are student, please visit the special student housing Web site.)
The Gero-Ed Center is planning many special events, including the 3rd Annual Anita Rosen Awards which will take place in the APM Exhibit Hall. This year, the Rosen Award winners’ work will be prominently displayed in their own booth space (Booth 206). This is only one of many exciting events for the 2008 Exhibit Hall. If your program is not yet a part of the Exhibit Hall, there is still time to reserve booth space, and you can request to be near the Rosen Award booth space.
For more information on these and other APM events, please visit the APM Web site.
BSW Programs: Apply for BEL Program Funding
Friday, May 16 is the deadline for the BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program applications. Since this deadline is rapidly approaching, we encourage all eligible BSW programs to review the Request for Proposals (RFP) and request an application today from the BEL Program Web page.
This unique funding opportunity is only for BSW programs in order to reach students early in their academic careers. The program will support BSW faculty to design experiences for their students to interact with older adults. By facilitating positive experiential activities, the BEL Program aims to recruit BSW students to social work field placements, MSW level education, and careers working with elders and their families.
If you have questions after visiting our Web site, please e-mail the CSWE Gero-Ed Center.
Deadline for BEL Program Applications: May 16, 2008
Cycle 2 CDI Applications Due This Tuesday
Applications for the Cycle 2 Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) Program are due by midnight this Tuesday (April 15). The application is user friendly so there is still time to apply! This is the one and only time within the next five years to apply for the CDI Program’s comprehensive approach to gerontological curricular change. We encourage you to request an application on the CDI Program Web page today.
The Cycle 2 CDI Program will run July 1, 2008–June 30, 2011 and will offer more than $7000 in funding to selected programs for curriculum change and travel, invaluable guidance from national mentors who are experts in gerontology and curricular change, and access to extensive curricular materials and outstanding eLearning courses on aging. Participating faculty will meet annually at the CSWE APM for support and training on how to prepare gerontologically competent graduates. You need not be an expert in gerontology to apply.
Deadline for CDI Program Applications: Midnight, April 15, 2008
Gero-Ed Events at BPD Draw Standing Room Crowds
The Gero-Ed Center was delighted by the positive response from BSW educators who turned out in large numbers for the Center’s information sessions at the Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors’ (BPD) Annual Conference.. Standing room only crowds learned about the BEL and Cycle 2 CDI Programs, including how to apply.* Small funding consultation sessions with Gero-Ed staff were also well attended, illustrating the high level of interest in gerontology among BSW educators.
Gero-Ed Center staff was also pleased to speak to a number of social work admissions staff to garner information about the social work student recruitment process. This initial focus group meeting was a part of a new Center initiative to partner with admissions and career counseling staff to recruit students to coursework, placements, and careers in gerontological social work. The meeting attendees were eager to assist and provide creative ideas to be implemented beginning in 2009.
BPD also honored several leaders in gerontological social work education, including many associated with our projects. Former GeroRich Project Director and Cycle 1 CDI Mentor Harriet Cohen received the Significant Recent Scholarly Contributions in Social Work Education Award from the BPD board. Harriet Cohen, Joy Ernst, and Cheryl Waites, all GeroRich participants and CDI Mentors, were recognized as part of the first cohort of BSW faculty in the Hartford Faculty Scholars Program. BPD also honored Nancy Hooyman, Anita Rosen, and Cathy Tompkins for their gerontological leadership with BPD and BSW programs through the Gero-Ed Center and former CSWE projects SAGE-SW and GeroRich.
February 2008
Volume 3, Number 4 - February 2008
In This Issue: Caregiving
Caregiving is a growing concern that affects most individuals and families at some point. As CSWE begins a partnership with Nursing in a new caregiving initiative, Aging Times explores this near-universal issue.
Family Caregiving for Older Adults: Not Just an “Aging” Issue
Amy Horowitz, Jewish Home & Hospital Lifecare System
Dr. Horowitz describes the challenges family caregivers face and makes a case for social work's distinct role in supporting them.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)
Nancy Giunta, PhD Graduate, University of California at Berkeley
Dr. Giunta writes about her research regarding factors that are effective in implementing this federal program at the state level.
Caregiving Resources
Suggested Readings on Caregiving
Cases Studies on Caregiving Issues
National Family Caregiver Alliance
Faculty/Student Opportunities
CSWE Now Accepting Proposals for the APM Gero-Ed Track
The Gero-Ed Center encourages you to submit to the 2008 CSWE APM Gero-Ed Track. Call for Proposals is now online.
Encourage Students to Submit for Anita Rosen Poster Awards
Faculty – We urge you to encourage and mentor your students to submit poster proposals to APM.
Funding for BSW Programs: BEL Program RFP
The BEL Program creates positive interactions between students and older adults. BSW programs can now apply for funding.
Cycle 2 CDI Program Funding: Apply Now
The April 15th Cycle 2 CDI Program application deadline is fast approaching – apply today.
Gero-Ed Center at 2008 BPD Annual Meeting
The Gero-Ed Center will be at BPD in Destin, FL with several special events for conference attendees.
CSWE Partners in New Multi-Disciplinary Caregiving Initiative
CSWE is a partner in a multi-disciplinary initiative to support family caregivers.
MAC Project: One-Year Update
The Gero-Ed Center MAC Project provides an update of its progress and future directions.
Family Caregiving for Older Adults: Not Just an “Aging” Issue
By Amy Horowitz
Providing care to an older relative with mental and/or physical impairments is one of the most central areas of inquiry in social gerontology, and one that has particular relevance to social work practice and policy. More than any other profession, social workers work with families, regardless of their particular field of practice (with families defined here in its broadest sense to include significant others, partners, and close friends). It is hard to find a family that has not been touched by an illness of an older family member, nor experienced the multidimensional consequences of providing care, such as negotiating health and social service systems and making difficult decisions about long-term care options and end-of-life treatments. This is one substantive area where most practitioners and researchers who work in family caregiving have lived the experience as well.
Recent estimates indicate there are 44.4 million adult caregivers in the United States, of whom 28 million are caring for someone age 65 or older (NAC/AARP, 2004). The economic value of this unpaid care is approximately $350 billion (AARP, 2008). But this care is not without cost to family members. Caring for an older relative can often disrupt a family’s equilibrium, and social workers must be able to recognize and address the issues that confront such families. Discomfort at providing intimate personal care, lack of time for oneself and other family members, dealing with familial conflict regarding care decisions, and the pain at not being recognized by a cognitively impaired relative are all common problems experienced by family caregivers. Three decades of research have consistently documented the often profound consequences of caregiving, particularly for spouses/partners and adult children. Providing care affects the caregivers’ emotional well-being, with high rates of reported burden, depression, and distress among caregivers, as well as stress related physical illnesses, (Vitaliano, Zhang, & Scalan, 2003; Pinquart & Sorsensen, 2003) and even mortality (Schulz & Beach, 1999).
But it is also important to remember that not all families experience only stress as a consequence of caring for an elder family member. We are learning more about the resilience of families and the positive aspects of providing care (e.g., personal growth), which points to the relevance of the strength perspective of social work practice. Social workers have also been in the forefront of developing psychosocial and psycho-educational interventions for family caregivers, which have been found to be relatively effective in reducing caregiver depression and distress (Gallagher-Thompson & Coon, 2007; Gallagher-Thompson, Haley, Guy, Arguelles, Zeiss, et al., 2003).
I was recently privileged to attend the conference on the State of the Science: Nurses and Social Workers, Supporting Family Caregivers, organized by the Council on Social Work Education (through the CSWE Gero-Ed Center), the Family Caregiver Alliance, AARP, the American Journal of Nursing, and Rutgers University. One of the major goals of the conference was to identify the competencies that nurses and social workers need to supportfamily caregivers. This focus recognizes that social workers need to work as a team, both with other professionals and with the family client. Many of the competencies identified represent basic social worker skills of assessment, communication, and knowledge of policies, systems, and resources, that now need to be applied to a rapidly growing population of caregivers who will increasingly call on the assistance of social workers to help them continue to do what families do best: to care.
Dr. Amy Horowitz is the Director of Research at the Jewish Home & Hospital Lifecare System and the Anna A. Greenwall Professor of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. She has written numerous articles on family care focusing on autonomy and congruence issues, as well as articles on disability and mental health. She is currently a member of the National Advisory Committee and the Director of Research Development for the Hartford Foundation Social Work Faculty Scholar Program.
(For more information on CSWE’s partnership in this multi-disciplinary caregiving initiative, please see the article in this issue of Aging Times.)
References
AARP (2008). Valuing the Invaluable: A New Look at State Estimates of the Economic Value of Family Caregiving. Retrieved on February 10, 2008 from: http://www.aarp.org/research/housing-mobility/caregiving/dd158_caregiving.html.
Gallagher-Thompson, D., & Coon, D.W. (2007). Evidence=-based psychological treatments for distressin family caregivers of older adults. Psychology and Aging, 22, 37-51.
Gallagher-Thompson, D., Haley, W., Guy, D. Rupert, Arguelles, T. Zeiss, L. M. et al. (2003). Tailoring psychological interventions for ethnically diverse dementia caregivers. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10, 423-438.
National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons (NAC/AARP) (2004). Caregiving in the U.S. Retrieved on February 10, 2007 from: http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=2043.
Pinquart, M., & Sorsensen, S. (2003). Differences between caregivers and noncaregivers in psychological health and physical health: A meta-analysis. Psychology and Aging, 18, 250-67.
Schulz, R. & Beach, S. (1999). Caregiving as a risk factor for mortality. The caregiver health effects study. JAMA, 282, 2215-19.
Vitaliano, P.P., Zhang, J., & Scalan, J.M. (2003) is caregiving hazardous to one’s physical health? A meta-analysis.Psychological Bulletin, 129, 946-72.
The National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP)
By Nancy Giunta
With the demographic shift of an aging population, the increased need for long-term care is combined with a decreased supply of informal care, thus making caregiver support a public concern. While informal caregivers provide the majority of long-term care in community-based settings in this country, they do so by facing potentially serious financial, emotional, and physical health risks. The monetary value of long-term care provided by informal caregivers is an estimated $306 billion per year. A paradigm shift is underway in which caregivers are being recognized not only as valuable providers of long-term care services, but also as clients in need of supportive services themselves. As social work educators and practitioners, this implies that we should be asking ourselves what effective services and interventions are available for family caregivers. States are increasingly recognizing family caregivers as a new client population within the long-term care system; however, significant variations exist across states in administrative structure, funding streams, and accessibility of services for caregivers.
In 2000, the federal National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) was introduced through the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. The NFCSP was modeled after successful state programs in California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin and was designed with input from family caregivers nationwide. The NFCSP and Native American Caregiver Program (NACP) are administered federally by the Administration on Aging and at the state level by each of the State Units on Aging. Local Area Agencies on Aging and tribal organizations provide direct services to caregivers of older adults or contract with local service providers to provide services. There is no income eligibility requirement for these services.
The following types of services are available to caregivers under the NFCSP: information for caregivers about available services; assistance for caregivers in gaining access to these services; counseling, support groups, and training to help caregivers make decisions and solve problems relating to their caregiving roles; respite care to temporarily relieve caregivers from their caregiving responsibilities; and supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement care provided by caregivers. In 2004, the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) published an extensive study documenting caregiver programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The study report features state profiles which are accessible on the FCA Web site: www.caregiver.org.
My recent dissertation research examined whether successful implementation of the NFCSP at the state level was predicted by demographic, historical, political, or organizational factors within a state. It used the Communications Model of Intergovernmental Policy Implementation (Goggin, et al., 1990) as a theoretical framework. This study, the first to examine caregiver support policy using a theoretical framework, demonstrates the role of contextual factors in implementing caregiver support policy and programs statewide. Results suggest that statewide implementation of the NFCSP is related to the following contextual factors at lower levels of the implementation hierarchy: previous experience with and awareness of caregiver issues; political and organizational resources, including coordination and collaboration efforts; and appropriately matching services with identified needs. Further research is needed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how policies can be successfully implemented, thus providing social work educators and practitioners with the tools and skills to administer programs. This understanding will help policymakers, program administrators, direct service providers, and especially caregivers, meet current and future needs of an aging population.
Nancy Giunta, MSW, PhD, recently graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where she was a Hartford Doctoral Fellow. She is currently consulting with organizations seeking to improve long-term care through various community development initiatives. Her primary research interests include long-term care policy, community development and aging, and evidence-based macro practice. Her dissertation will be available soon on ProQuest.
CSWE Now Accepting Proposals for the APM Gero-Ed Track
The Call for Proposals for the 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) is now open. We encourage you to submit your aging-related proposal to the Gero-Ed Track by selecting the “Gero-Ed (Aging and Gerontology) Track” option when completing the APM online submission process.
As one of the 38 APM Tracks, the Gero-Ed Track covers issues related to aging and intergenerational social work research, policy, education and practice. For more information, please read the full Track description on the CSWE Web site.
The 54th CSWE APM will be held in Philadelphia, October 29–November 1, 2008. Please visit the APM page on the CSWE Web site for more information.
APM Submission Deadline: Friday, March 28, 2008
Encourage Students to Submit for the Anita Rosen Poster Awards
Submissions for the 3rd Annual Anita Rosen Gerontology Awards for Outstanding Student Poster are now being accepted from BSW, MSW, and Doctoral social work students as part of the CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) Call for Submissions. Three $1000 awards are available (one for each degree level) to students submitting intergenerational or aging-specific poster abstracts.
Students, please review the guidelines on the Anita Rosen Awards page of the Gero-Ed Center Web site. We encourage you to seek guidance from faculty who are familiar with your work as you prepare your proposal, especially if this is your first time submitting to a national conference.
Faculty, please encourage your students who have conducted aging-related research to submit to APM and guide them as they prepare their proposals and posters, especially if this is their first national academic conference. Visit the Anita Rosen Awards page of the Gero-Ed Center Web site to share a special student flyer and guidelines with your students.
Please visit the CSWE APM Web site to review the submission process summary and indicate in the online submission form that your poster proposal is for the Gero-Ed Track. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 28, 2008. For more information, please visit the Rosen Awards page on the Gero-Ed Center Web site, call Jason Echols at +1.703.519.2064, or contact us at Gero-EdCenter@cswe.org.
Funding for BSW Programs: BEL Program RFP
The BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program RFP is now available on the Gero-Ed Center Web site. This unique funding opportunity is only for BSW programs in order to reach students early in their academic careers. We encourage all eligible BSW programs to apply for this new program.
BSW graduates play vital roles in frontline positions serving older adults, but the workforce demand exceeds the number of BSW-level social workers with gerontological competencies. Addressing this gap is the impetus for the new BEL Program, which will fund gerontological experiential learning for BSW students. By supporting faculty to design positive experiences for their students to interact with older adults, the BEL Program aims to recruit BSW students to social work field placements, MSW level education, and careers working with elders and their families.
To request an application and for more information, including the RFP and FAQs, please visit the BEL Program web page. Information sessions, as well as Gero-Ed staff consultations on the application process, will be held at the BPD Annual Meeting:
Gero-Ed Hartford Funding Opportunities Session
Friday, March 7, 1:15-2:30 PM
Room: Jasmine
Application Consultation Sessions
Friday, March 7, 9:00-11:00 AM
Saturday, March 8, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Room: Grand Condo D
If you have questions after visiting our Web site, please email the CSWE Gero-Ed Center.
Deadline for BEL Program Applications: May 16, 2008
Cycle 2 CDI Program Funding: Apply Now
The April 15th deadline for applications for the Cycle 2 Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) Program is fast approaching. We encourage you to review the Request for Proposals and request an application on the CDI Program Web page today.
The Cycle 2 CDI Program will run July 1, 2008–June 30, 2011. Faculty participating in the CDI Program will plan, implement, evaluate, and sustain gerontological competencies within their foundation curriculum and program structure. Funded programs will receive $2,500 each of the first 2 years for programmatic implementation support, plus travel reimbursement.
An information session and Gero-Ed staff consultations on the application process will be held at the BPD Annual Meeting:
Gero-Ed Hartford Funding Opportunities Session
Friday, March 7, 1:15-2:30 PM
Room: Jasmine
Application Consultation Sessions
Friday, March 7, 9:00-11:00 AM
Saturday, March 8, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
Room: Grand Condo D
We encourage you to apply!
Deadline for CDI Program Applications: April 15, 2008
Gero-Ed Center at 2008 BPD Annual Meeting
Join the CSWE Gero-Ed Center in celebrating the 25th year of the Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors’ (BPD) Annual Conference in Destin, FL (March 5-9, 2008). In recognition of the accomplishments of BSW programs in gerontological social work, the Gero-Ed Center has planned several special sessions.
Gero-Ed Center Funding Opportunities Session and Individual Consultations
An information session for individuals interested in learning more about the Cycle 2 CDI and BEL Programs, including how to apply, will be held on Friday, March 7, 1:15-2:30 PM in the Jasmine Room. Gero-Ed Center staff will also be available for individual consultations and technical support to programs intending to apply from 9:00-11:00 AM on Friday, March 7 and10:00 AM-12:00 PM on Saturday, March 8 in the Grand Condo D Room.
“BSW Gerontological Education: Looking Back, Moving Forward”
This session will highlight curricular innovations and accomplishments of BSW programs, as well as future opportunities for BSW gerontological education. Presenters are Suzanne St Peter, Gero-Ed Center co-Director, and Drs. Cheryl Brandsen and Alison Climo, Cycle 1 CDI Project Directors, on Saturday, March 8, 9:30-10:45 AM in the Magnolia B Room.
The Gero-Ed Center also congratulates this year’s winner of the Mit Joyner Gerontological Leadership Award: Stacey R. Kolomer of the University of Georgia, School of Social Work. Dr. Kolomer will be honored at the special award lecture and reception on Friday, March 7, 4:15-5:30 PM.
Information about these sessions will be available on a purple flyer inserted in your conference tote bag. We hope to see you at the 2008 BPD Annual Conference. http://www.bpdonline.org/
CSWE Partners in New Multi-Disciplinary Caregiving Initiative
A working group of approximately 50 scholars and leaders from nursing and social work and representatives from other key organizations addressing caregiving convened in the nation’s capital January 29-30, 2008 for an invitational symposium, “State of the Science: Nurses and Social Workers Supporting Family Caregivers.” This symposium is the first step in CSWE’s partnership in a caregiving initiative funded by the John A. Hartford and the Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundations.
The objectives of the initiative are:
- Document what is known about the demographics, characteristics, issues and obstacles faced by family caregivers that influence their ability to successfully care for a family member;
- Identify the competencies and knowledge needed by family caregivers;
- Describe competencies nurses and social workers need to best support family caregivers;
- Document best practices for supporting family caregivers;
- Identify gaps in the science and barriers to implementing interventions for supporting caregiving across service settings; and
- Achieve consensus on an agenda of clinical, educational, research and policy priorities for developing best practices to promote and support family caregiving.
As a key partner in this caregiving initiative, CSWE will also be actively involved in the dissemination of the symposium papers, which will be disseminated as a peer review publication, as well as online, to both nurses and social workers. The Gero-Ed Center is taking the lead on this project on behalf of CSWE. Other project partners include AARP, Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), American Journal of Nursing, and Rutgers University.
MAC Project: One-Year Update
January 1st marked the end of the first year of the CSWE Gero-Ed Center’s Masters Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project, whose goal is to promote the gerontological preparation of MSW students specializing in health, mental health and substance use. This Project is unique in its focus on engaging faculty whose teaching and research expertise is not gerontology.
On July 1, 2007, the Gero Innovations Grant began 2 years of funding for 14 MSW programs to develop, implement, and evaluate different methods to increase the gerontological competencies of their students in health, mental health, and/or substance use courses. Project Directors of these grants are collecting baseline data on their programs and are planning strategies to implement new curricular resources in such courses. These materials will later be made available on www.Gero-EdCenter.org.
In spring 2007, the three Resource Review workgroups met to begin the review of the state of knowledge related to aging in each specialty area. The final reports from these national workgroups, due out later this year, will provide social work faculty a comprehensive review of the relevant empirical research, evidence-based interventions, and curricular resources available on selected topics in each specialty area.
As the MAC Project begins its second year, we look forward to furthering this goal with the dissemination of these resources to the social work education community and the development of an eLearning course in one or more of these specialty areas.