Judith L. Howe

Social Work Gerontological Practice: The Need for Faculty Development in the New Millennium

ABSTRACT There is a pressing need to upgrade the gerontological knowledge and skills of practicing social workers. Geriatrics and gerontology, as specialized fields of knowledge, have not been sufficiently integrated into formal academic training programs. There are major trends in the health care environment which impact on social work education, including technological advances, a shift from inpatient to outpatient and community care settings, increasing diversity of the older population, and client and family participation in decisionmaking. These trends necessitate social work education to emphasize new content areas in gerontology and the development of new skills in clinical, case management, care coordination, and teamwork. A significant obstacle to the preparation of future social workers to deliver the complex services needed by older adults and their families is a serious shortage of social work faculty in gerontology. Sustained and broad initiatives, such as the John A. Hartford Foundation funded Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program, are needed to develop academic and practice-based faculty in gerontology. This is crucial if social work is to maintain an important service role in the new millennium.

Social Work Gerontological Practice

Abstract There is a pressing need to upgrade the gerontological knowledge and skills of practicing social workers. Geriatrics and gerontology, as specialized fields of knowledge, have not been sufficiently integrated into formal academic training programs. There are major trends in the health care environment which impact on social work education, including technological advances, a shift from inpatient to outpatient and community care settings, increasing diversity of the older population, and client and family participation in decisionmaking. These trends necessitate social work education to emphasize new content areas in gerontology and the development of new skills in clinical, case management, care coordination, and teamwork. A significant obstacle to the preparation of future social workers to deliver the complex services needed by older adults and their families is a serious shortage of social work faculty in gerontology. Sustained and broad initiatives, such as the John A. Hartford Foundation funded Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program, are needed to develop academic and practice-based faculty in gerontology. This is crucial if social work is to maintain an important service role in the new millennium.

Bioterrorism and Emergency Preparedness in Aging (BTEPA): HRSA-Funded GEC Collaboration for Curricula and Training

Abstract Frail elders living alone or in long-term care settings are particularly vulnerable to bioterrorism and other emergencies due to their complex physical, social and psychological needs. This paper provides an overview of the recent literature on bioterrorism and emergency preparedness in aging (BTEPA); discusses federal initiatives by the health resources and services administration (HRSA) to address BTEPA; describes the collaborative efforts of six HRSA-funded geriatric education centers (GECS) to develop BTEPA geriatric curricula and training; and offers recommendations for BTEPA education and training, clinical practices, policy, and research. The GEC/BTEPA collaboration has produced model curricula, including emergency planning for diverse groups of older persons; enhanced networking among stakeholders in a fast paced environment of information sharing and changing policies; and developed interdisciplinary educational resources and approaches to address emergency preparedness for various settings in the elder care continuum.

Workforce Training and Education Gaps in Gerontology and Geriatrics: What We Found in New York State

This article summarizes data from the 2008 Symposium Charting the Future for New York State Workforce Training and Education in Aging: The Stakeholder Perspective and the 2009 report Workforce Training and Education: The Challenge for Academic Institutions. This research is the outcome of a collaborative State Society on Aging of New York and New York State Office for the Aging study on New York States workforce training and education needs. Eight Listening Sessions were held across New York State to obtain input on topics including training, gerontology education, and credentialing and certification. Individual sessions highlighted the needs of urban, rural, and suburban communities. Key themes identified through content analysis included the need for education about aging in agencies serving older adults, education on human development, positive aspects of aging, disabilities, developmental disabilities, and greater opportunities for training and education for service providers. Lack of incentives was identified as a barrier to credentialing or certification. Education about growing older beginning in grade school was recommended. Lack of funding was identified as a barrier that limited support for employee education/training. Disconnects were identified between employers and academic institutions and state government and providers regarding gerontology/geriatric training and education. Consideration to how these themes may be addressed by the Association of Gerontology in Higher Education is offered.

Social Networks and Use of Social Supports of Minority Elders in East Harlem

Abstract Considerable empirical research substantiates the importance of social networks on health and well-being in later life. A study of ethnic minority elders living in two low income public housing buildings in East Harlem was undertaken to gain an understanding of the relationship between their health status and social networks. Findings demonstrate that elders with supportive housing had better psychological outcomes and used significantly more informal supports when in need. However, elders with serious health problems had poorer outcomes regardless of their level of social support. This study highlights the potential of supportive living environments to foster social integration and to optimise formal and informal networks.

Mentoring new social work faculty:a gerontological perspective.

Abstract The John A. Hartford Foundation, in collaboration with the Gerontological Society of America, has developed new models to create geriatric faculty capacity within social work. The Faculty Scholars Program is building faculty leadership in academic geriatric social work through a strategic approach that includes long-distance national and institution-based mentoring. While mentoring models have proven to be effective means of career development, this is relatively new in academic social work and little is known about the impact of long-distance mentoring in association with sponsorship from a mentor at the scholars home institution. This paper describes the mentoring model and its conceptual underpinnings. Evaluation data from an ongoing evaluation is presented in discussion of the strengths and limitations of the mentoring model.

Social Work Gerontological Assessment Revisited

Summary Research has learned much in the last forty years about the factors critical in a gerontological social work assessment. However, assessment must be constantly readdressed, because the context of health care changes and the research technology that enables the study of factors critical to the assessment process becomes more sophisticated. This paper presents the evolution of assessment research and identifies critical assessment factors as related to the changing social work practice in the context of the countrys changing health care environment.

Education partnerships between GRECCs and other VA organizations, Non-VA governmental agencies, academic medical centers, and centers of excellence

Gerontology and geriatrics are interdisciplinary professions. The quality of the care and services provided by the members of these professions depends upon the strength and integrity of the partnerships between the professionals working together. This article summarizes the partnerships created by the Department of Veterans Affairs Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers. This myriad of partners has formed the basis of successful programming to improve clinical care, to expand research projects, and most specifically, to produce educational opportunities in geriatrics and gerontology that have the potential to improve the quality of life for older Veterans.

A Multisite Geriatric Education Program for Rural Providers in the Veteran Health Care System (GRECC-Connect)

Older patients who live in rural areas often have limited access to specialty geriatric care, which can help in identifying and managing geriatric conditions associated with functional decline. Implementation of geriatric-focused practices among rural primary care providers has been limited, because rural providers often lack access to training in geriatrics and to geriatricians for consultation. To bridge this gap, four Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers, which are centers of excellence across the nation for geriatric care within the Veteran health system, have developed a program utilizing telemedicine to connect with rural providers to improve access to specialized geriatric interdisciplinary care. In addition, case-based education via teleconferencing using cases brought by rural providers was developed to complement the clinical implementation efforts. In this article, the authors review these educational approaches in the implementation of the clinical interventions and discuss the potential advantages in improving implementation efforts.

Accreditation in the Profession of Psychology: A Cautionary Tale

This article examines the history of accreditation in psychology and applies the lessons learned to the Association for Gerontology in Higher Educations (AGHE) consideration of forming an organization to accredit programs in gerontology. The authors identify the challenges met and unmet, the successes and failures, and the key issues that emerged from psychologys experience with accreditation. Psychology has been accrediting programs in clinical psychology for more than 65 years, and the process has been marked by several false steps, considerable tension, and some controversy and at times significant dissatisfaction. The accreditation process that has emerged today, which includes counseling, school psychology, graduate practica, and postdoctoral practica sites, is generally well received yet some tensions exist. The authors apply the lessons learned from psychologys evolution to AGHE. The experience of psychology suggests a need for clear minimum standards and consistency across programs in training goals, if not in curricula and practica. However, setting standards for specific curricula and practice content may result in a similar contentiousness that has plagued psychology. Ultimately, the authors conclude that the benefits of accreditation of programs outweigh the deficits.