This book examines the impact of the pandemic on the older population and how gerontological social workers can effectively intervene to ensure a more equitable approach to service delivery. Readers of this book can expect comprehensive attention to pandemic issues in an international gerontological social work context
An introduction to bullying behaviors among older adults -- Bullying among older adults : what do we know? -- Understanding older individuals who bully and those who are bullied -- A framework for anti-bullying interventions -- Foundational approaches for individuals who bully -- Foundational approaches for individuals who are bullied -- Bullying assessment and interventions / by Eleanor Feldman Barbera -- Empathy training : the different like me culture / by Alyse November -- Social wellness initiatives to reduce bullying among older adults / by Katherine Parker Cardinal -- Future directions : policy imperatives to address bullying among older adults / by Alyse November
Tailoring services to address patients' spiritual needs is widely recognized to be an important component of service provision in health care settings. Yet, despite the growth of the Asian American population, little research has examined predictors of Asian American patients' satisfaction with this process. To address this gap, the present study employed a national sample of Asian Americans (N = 2,102) to identify predictors of satisfaction with the manner in which their spiritual needs were addressed during hospitalization. The results indicate that nursing, visitors, the discharge process, room quality, and food service played significant roles in satisfactorily addressing Asian American patients' spiritual needs. The implications are discussed for social workers as key players in the health care team and administrators of the discharge process.
Many older Latinos use spirituality to navigate the challenges associated with hospitalization. Although spiritual assessments are typically recommended in such settings, little, if any, research has sought to identify factors that predict satisfaction with the process of addressing clients' spiritual needs. Using a national sample of recently hospitalized older Latinos (N = 227), this secondary analysis identified predictors of older Latinos' satisfaction with how well their spiritual needs were addressed during their hospitalization. Among the eight predictors examined, room quality, nursing staff, and physicians were positively associated with satisfaction, while the discharge process was negatively associated with satisfaction. By understanding the factors that predict satisfaction, practitioners are better positioned to provide culturally relevant and effective services to older Latinos.
Spirituality plays an important role in the lives of many older adults. Consequently, it is not surprising that gerontological social workers frequently engage spirituality in practice settings. The paucity of training gerontological workers have received on this topic, however, is a cause for concern. To help equip workers, three ethical principles are proposed to guide interactions in the area of spirituality. These principles can be summarized as: 1) client autonomy, 2) spiritual competence, and 3) professional competence. The application of these principles in practice settings will enhance the ability of gerontological social workers to interact with older adults' spirituality in a professional and ethical manner.