Andrew E. Scharlach

Educating Social Workers for an Aging Society: A Vision for the 21st Century.

Longevity is one of the great achievements of the 20th century and its implications for the new century will be profound. The unprecedented demographic shift to an increasingly older society will have a dramatic impact on individual choices over the life course, the structure of the family, and multiple social institutions. Social work can make unique professional contributions to older persons and the late-life family. This article asserts, however, that social work is not adequately prepared to practice in the aging society. The authors document the challenges to social work and recommend addressing these challenges through educational innovations.

Cultural attitudes and caregiver service use: lessons from focus groups with racially and ethnically diverse family caregivers.

Abstract Focus groups were conducted with caregivers from eight racial-specific or ethnic-specific populations (African Americans, Chinese, Filipinos, Hispanics, Koreans, Native Americans, Russians, and Vietnamese), to examine cultural variations in caregiving experiences, care-related values and beliefs, care practices, and factors contributing to decisions about the use of caregiver support services. Analysis of focus group transcripts revealed three cross-cutting constructs: familism, group identity, and attitudinal and structural barriers to service use. We discuss these findings in terms of their implications for existing knowledge regarding family responsibility, resource utilization, and program development for racially and ethnically diverse family caregivers.

Ageing-friendly communities and social inclusion in the United States of America

ABSTRACT Synthesising the social capital and ageing-friendly communities literature, this paper describes how efforts to make communities more ageing-friendly can promote social inclusion among older adults. Making existing communities more ageing-friendly involves physical and social infrastructure changes that enable older adults to pursue lifelong activities, meet their basic needs, maintain significant relationships, participate in the community in personally and socially meaningful ways, and develop new interests and sources of fulfilment. Such efforts can enhance bonding, bridging and linking capital, and thereby promote social inclusion. The authors discuss the link between ageing-friendly communities and social inclusion, and provide examples of programmes with potential to change existing communities into ones that promote the social inclusion of older adults.

Racial and Ethnic Variations in Caregiver Service Use

Objectives: This article examines whether race and ethnicity contribute to the differential use of caregiver support services, when controlling for caregiver and care recipient characteristics, as represented by predisposing, enabling, and need factors included in the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Methods: The study includes 1,508 individuals who provide care to an ill or disabled adult aged 50 or older, identified through a random digit dial telephone survey of California households. Logistic regression analysis is utilized to examine factors that predict use of caregiver support services. Results: Race and ethnicity do not contribute significantly to caregiver service utilization, when controlling for relevant covarying factors such as age, education, emotional support, family contribution, care recipient service use, and care recipient impairment. A significant interaction exists between ethnicity and family closeness, with reduced rates of service use among Asian and Pacific Island caregivers whose families are brought closer by the caregiving experience. Discussion: These findings suggest that racial and ethnic disparities in caregiver service use found at the bivariate level are attributable to covarying predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Further research and theoretical development are suggested to clarify the impact of sociocultural factors on caregiver service use.

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993

This analysis of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 examines the history of the legislation, the implementation of the acts provisions, the frequency of family leave requests, and the effect of mandated family leave on the workplace. We conclude with a set of recommendations for employers and policy makers designed to reinforce and strengthen existing family leave policy and to improve implementation of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Family Caregiving in California

Abstract Family caregivers are the main source of long-term care for older persons in the United States. At the same time, cultural values and beliefs shape decisions surrounding who provides care and whether families use formal support interventions to assist the caregiver. The current article examines how the family caregiving experience differs among racial and ethnic groups in terms of caregiver characteristics, service utilization, caregiver strain, and coping mechanisms. Telephone interviews were conducted in English and Spanish with a random sample of 1,643 respondents in California who provide care to someone age 50 or over. Bivariate analyses showed evidence of ethnic differences in the demographic characteristics of caregivers, intensity of care provided, caregiver health, level of financial strain, religious service attendance, formal service utilization and barriers to formal services. Odds ratios showed that White and African American caregivers were about two times as likely to use formal caregiver services as were Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Latina American caregivers. Implied by these findings is the need for further understanding of caregiver service needs among diverse racial and ethnic groups.

Reactions to the Death of a Parent during Midlife.

Interviews with eighty-three adults aged thirty-five to sixty who had lost a parent one to five years previously found that 60 percent continued to experience emotional reactions and 44 percent continued to experience somatic reactions to the death. The majority also reported changes in their sense of maturity, personal priorities, work and/or career objectives, feelings about their own mortality, and the importance and nature of various social relationships. These impacts generally corresponded to developmentally significant midlife themes of autonomy, personal freedom, and responsibility.

Employment, Social Networks, and Health in the Retirement Years.

The impact of employment on the health of retirees is examined, with particular attention to the hypothesis that social roles affect health through their impact on social networks. Data are based on comprehensive assessment questionnaires completed by 175 participants of a corporate sponsored geriatric clinic. Results indicate that employment in the retirement years is related to larger social networks and indirectly, through this relationship, to better perceived health. Of the three social network factors identified through factor analysis: family, friends, and confidant relationships, employment was significantly related only to the friendship component. A summary analytic model is presented and implication for interventions are discussed.

Aging, Place, and Technology Toward Improving Access and Wellness in Older Populations

Objective: To review the range of promising technologies (e.g., smart phones, remote monitoring devices) designed to enhance aging in place; identify challenges for implementation of those technologies; and recommend ways to improve access to technologies in older populations. Method: A narrative review of research, practice, and policies from multiple fields, including information science, gerontology, engineering, housing and social services, health care and public health. Results: Despite a wide range of emerging and current technologies, there are significant challenges for implementation, including an uneven evidence base, economic barriers, and educational and ergonomic issues that adversely affect many older adults. Discussion: Recommendations for future development and adoption include improving the evidence base through field-testing of “packages” of devices in diverse populations of older adults; development of innovative funding mechanisms involving multidisciplinary teams, older adults, and caregivers; and promotion of safety and security in the use of these technologies in older populations.

Who Is Providing Social Services to Today's Older Adults?

Abstract Characteristics of personnel who provide services to a rapidly growing and increasingly diverse population of older adults were examined through a statewide survey of Area Agencies on Aging and county adult and aging services departments in California. Substantial gaps were found in the professional education and training of current aging services personnel, with only 42% of adult protective service workers, 36% of case managers, and fewer than 10% of other personnel having masters degrees in social work. Key barriers to hiring aging services personnel included a lack of qualified and properly educated applicants, inadequate salaries, and insufficient numbers of ethnically diverse applicants. Results illustrate the lack of professional training among aging services workers and the need to develop programs and incentives for increasing the number of social workers with adequate knowledge and skills in aging services.