The Role of the Gerontological Social Worker in Assisted Living

This qualitative study reports on thirteen assisted living (AL) administrators' perspectives of the role and the importance of the AL social worker in addressing the unmet needs of older adults as they move and transition into AL. Participant interviews were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Administrators described 5 AL social work roles: (a) decision-making and adjustment coordinator; (b) resident advocate; (c) mental health assessor and counselor; (d) family social worker; and (e) care planner. Implications include directly examining AL social workers' views, analyzing costs and benefits of employing AL social workers, and developing social work practicum sites within AL.     

Commonality and Diversity in Feminist Social Work

Correspondence to Vicky White, Department of Applied Social Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL. Summary The relationship between feminist social workers and women serviceusers is a central concern in the feminist social work literature.The literature's discussion of feminist social worker/womanservice user relationships, along the dimensions of commonalityand diversity, is compared with the experiences and understandingsof feminist social workers who participated in a small-scalequalitative study. Two main themes are considered: first, commonalityin feminist social worker/woman service user relationships;secondly, diversity amongst women service users. Issues forfuture work are drawn out of the discussion of these themes:the problematic nature of feminist social worker/woman serviceuser commonality; the impact of social divisions other thangender on women service users' lives; the importance of unpackinggeneralizations about both women service users and feministsocial workers; the need to explore the intersections of thestatutory context and feminist social work identities. It isargued that in addressing these issues future work would beenriched if greater prominence were given to feminist practitioners'perspectives, experiences and understandings.     

Virtue Ethics and Social Work: Being Lucky, Realistic, and not Doing ones Duty

Correspondence to Graham McBeath, Department of Sociology and Politics, University College, Northampton, Northants. NN2 7AL, UK. E-mail: graham{at}spooner.demon.co.uk; Stephen Webb, Centre for Social Policy and Social Work, University of Sussex, Falmer, Nr Brighton, Sussex, UK. E-mail: s.a.webb{at}sussex.ac.uk Summary This article argues that in a complex socio-political world,social work ethics needs to re-cast the moral identity of thesocial worker in terms of virtue ethics. We review virtue theory'sAristotelian foundations and criticisms of Kantian and utilitariantheory and show how they apply to social work. Subsequentlywe offer an account of a virtue-based social work that questionsthe validity of several models of practice currently fashionable.Virtue theory emphasizes the priority of the individual moralagent who has acquired virtues commensurate with the pursuitof a revisable conception of the good life—the well-beingof all in a defined community. The virtues are the acquiredinner qualities of humans—character—the possessionof which, if applied in due measure, will typically contributeto the realization of the good life or ‘eudaimonia’.The role of the virtuous social worker is shown to be one thatnecessitates appropriate application of intellectual and practicalvirtues such as justice, reflection, perception, judgement,bravery, prudence, liberality and temperance. This ‘self-flourishing’worker, in bringing together the capacity for theoretical andpractical action makes possible a hermeneutic or interpretivepraxis best appraised in dialogue with fellow-practitionersand clients. With a social work remit increasingly routinizedby accountability, quality control and risk management thereis an emphasis on regulation and duties. This has produced aculture of following approved or typical processes resultingin defensive forms of social work wholly uncongenial to thedevelopment of human qualities likely to promote social workers'engagement in critique and revision of what counts as best practice.In sum, our core proposition is that social work practice andeducation, to fit an unpredictable, non-linear world, shoulddevelop means by which professionals nurture the virtues. Thiswould reflexively enhance social work itself.     

Social Workers and Child Welfare

Correspondence to Dr Gunvor Andersson, Lund University, School of Social Work, Box 23, 22100 Lund, Sweden. Summary What problems do social workers at social services offices haveto face in their child welfare work? How do they handle theproblems, and how important is the relation between the socialworker and the child's parents? The research project includes189 child welfare cases with 0–3-year-old children inten local communities in Sweden. The article shows that thesocial work can be categorized into four different types ofwork, where the work done, as well as the relation between thesocial worker and the child's parents, differ. (1) The socialworker is mediating help and support and has a positive contactwith the child's parents. (2) The social worker is exercisingcontrol and authority and has a negative contact with the child'sparents. (3) The social worker is doing treatment-oriented workand has a personal involvement and a relation to the parentsthat is important for the family and not exchangeable. (4) Thesocial worker is solely engaged in investigatory work with norelation to the child's parents, rather a neutral contact. Inthe categorization the concepts contact and relation are differentiated.Only in the treatment-oriented category, encompassing aboutone-fifth of the children, can one speak of a relation. In allcategories there are elements of both help and control, butdifferent ways of handling this doubleness.     

社会工作者个人素质在民族社会工作价值体系中的地位

社会工作者个人素质在民族社会工作价值体系中居于一个重要的地位，它集中体现在尊重、同理心、案主权益第一的原则、知情权四个方面。社会工作者的个人素质不仅会在助人结果方面对受助者产生影响，还会在助人技巧方面对社会工作者本人产生影响，进而对社会工作专业也造成影响。     

浅析我国当前的社会工作法律和社会工作者法律

在我国,社会工作和社会工作者作为名词已经为大家所熟悉,但了解它们的具体内容的人并不多,其中的主要原因是缺乏法律的明确规定。本文介绍了社会工作法律和社会工作者法律,特别是对社会工作法律和社会工作者法律的具体规定作了较为详细的介绍。本文紧密联系我国实际,充分依据法律条文,具有较强的实证主义风格。     

Support in the Workplace: Buffering the Deleterious Effects of Work–Family Conflict on Child Welfare Workers’ Well-Being and Job Burnout

ABSTRACT

We examined the impact of work–family conflict (WFC) on worker well-being and job burnout, as well as the role of social support in the workplace as a potential buffer against the influence of WFC. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses in a cross-sectional sample of 361 public child welfare workers indicate that WFC was related to reduced well-being and increased job burnout, whereas supervisory support moderated the relationship between WFC and well-being. Findings from this study hold implications to workforce management practices aimed at improving worker well-being in human service and child welfare organizations. Human resource management policies designed to manage worker schedules should aim to facilitate workers’ ability to meet work and family demands through programs such as flexible work schedules and telecommuting. Recommendations for future research on WFC and worker well-being are discussed.     

哈氏理论对社会工作的启示——把哈贝马斯带到社工实践中来

本文主要探讨的是哈贝马斯的理论对社会工作四个面向的启示。在社会工作反思方面,批判理论有助于社工警惕服务的异化。在社会工作分析方面,生活世界殖民化理论有助于社工洞察案主困扰的根源。在社会工作伦理方面,商谈伦理学有助于社工走出伦理的迷失。在社会工作实务方面,理想的沟通情境有助于社工开启温馨的对话。总之,本文致力于把哈贝马斯的论述带到社会工作实践中来。在文章最后,也对在社会工作实践中运用哈贝马斯理论的局限性作了说明。     

Exploring the Personal and Environmental Factors Related to Length of Stay in Assisted Living

This study explored to what extent personal and environmental factors, as defined by the ecological model of aging, help us to understand length of stay in assisted living (AL). A convenience sample (N = 218) of administrative records of AL residents admitted between the years 2006 and 2011 was collected and included AL residents' demographic and healthcare information as well as dates of admission and discharge. Cox regression was used to determine which personal and environmental factors influenced length of stay in three AL programs. Number of medical diagnoses, level of care score, and facility were found to be significant predictors of length of stay. The analyses identified a median survival time of 32 months as well as critical periods for discharge from AL. Implications for future research and social work practice are presented.     

少数民族的价值观和风俗习惯在民族社会工作中的地位

民族社会工作是社会工作在中国实施中的一个重要领域,基于社会工作是一个以价值为本的专业,价值体系的构建对民族社会工作尤其具有重要意义。民族社会工作的价值体系包括社会工作的价值体系、少数民族的价值观、社会工作者个人的素质三方面的内容,其中,社会工作的价值体系是基础,少数民族的价值观和社会工作者个人的素质则是民族社会工作在实务中的具体考虑。     

The Transformation of the Purpose of a School-Based Supervision Group during Tough Economic Times: Challenges and Considerations for the Worker

This article describes the dramatic change in purpose in a group supervision that was faced with an economic crisis. For 7 years the group flourished, providing clinical and emotional support for social work staff and interns. During a time of economic hardship, the program faced the threat of closing, and, in response the group transformed itself from a clinical supervision group to a social-action task group. This article details the trajectory and transformation of the group's focus from clinical supervision to social action with a special emphasis on (1) group supervision, (2) social action, and (3) the concept of purpose in group work. The complexities, consequences, surprises, and rewards of this process, especially for the group worker, are described. The creative use of supervision groups and worker flexibility and self awareness are discussed.     

The Social Work Task in an Acute Psychiatric In-Patient Unit

Summary This paper reports the results of monitoring all admissionsfrom a prescribed geographical area to an acute psychiatricin-patient unit for a six month period. Members of the hospitalsocial work department assessed all admissions and selectedapproximately one-half of these for high social work input Demographicdata for the whole subject group is examined and compared tothe high input group. The case review system outlined by Goldbergand Fruin (1976) is used to describe the clients' social problemson admission, as well as the social work task, in terms of practicalservices and other social worker activities. These findingsare compared to those of Goldberg et al. (1977) who examinedthe social work task in an area office social services departmentintake team. Despite differences in demographic profiles ofthe two groups and consequently differing social problems, thesocial work task in both settings was found to be similar. Inboth studies 53% of clients were offered some practical (althoughdifferent service) and the most common social work activitieswere found to be assessment, information and advice, and mobilizingresources.     

The Worker's Role in Collectivity

This paper examines the worker's role in collectivity. Modifications are required because collectivity, as an entity, does not aid the worker as effectively as does a fully-formed social work group. The worker is therefore obliged to move the worker role into the gaps created by the nature of the structure.     

An Interview: Constructing Reality

Summary This paper is concerned with the relevance of interactionistperspectives in sociology to social work practice. Crucial tothese perspectives are the ‘meanings’ that peoplegive to situations and the ways they interpret actions. Basically,they are grounded on the assumption that there is no such thingas a single social reality. There are many different constructionswhich depend on the identities of the different people involvedand on the context in which they occur. The paper is based ontape recorded excerpts from an interview between a client, MrsSmith, and a social worker, from a discussion about some aspectsof that interview between the social worker and the writer,and from a discussion about the case between the team leaderand the writer. This material suggests different interpretationsof the situation, information gained in the discussion withthe social worker providing new ideas about the original interview.The views of the different people involved indicate that itis helpful to take into account the organizational context ofthe interviews. It is also suggested that conceiving of interviewsas ways of constructing reality has implications for the studyof social work practice.     

医务社会工作者：他们的工作与专业训练

英美医务社会工作起源于医院社会工作,北京协和医院社会工作开创亚太地区和中国医院社会工作的先河。蒲爱德是中国医院社会工作服务模式的奠基人。她首次系统阐述开展医院社会工作的必要性、重要性和紧迫性,科学总结协和医院社会土作服务模式,明确提出医院社会工作者的配置原则、职责范围、服务方法和专业训练途径,为当代中国医院社会工作人才队伍建设提供宝贵历史经验,具有重要的现实意义、理论意义和政策意义。     

Social work programmes in the social democratic welfare regime

In this article we examine the emergence of social worker training in the Nordic countries and discuss the possible effects that the social democratic welfare regime has had on such training. We also discuss the development in recent decades of the academisation of the training and the establishment of social work as a subject of research and teaching. The early history of social worker education is based on archival material, national inquiries and secondary sources. Our presentation of the recent history of social work education is based on the responses to a questionnaire sent to teachers of social work in 33 Nordic social work programmes, and on a survey of course syllabi and prospectuses. It is also based on the reading lists for the social work courses in these programmes.     

Social work programmes in the social democratic welfare regime

In this article we examine the emergence of social worker training in the Nordic countries and discuss the possible effects that the social democratic welfare regime has had on such training. We also discuss the development in recent decades of the academisation of the training and the establishment of social work as a subject of research and teaching. The early history of social worker education is based on archival material, national inquiries and secondary sources. Our presentation of the recent history of social work education is based on the responses to a questionnaire sent to teachers of social work in 33 Nordic social work programmes, and on a survey of course syllabi and prospectuses. It is also based on the reading lists for the social work courses in these programmes.     

路倒老人的医务社工技术干预

本文从危机调适的视角出发,分析医务社工在路倒老人、病人家属、医院工作人员等不同场景所扮演的角色和提供的服务,探讨路倒老人入院的不同阶段社会工作的主要目标和工作任务,以及医务社工如何对路倒老人提供服务;路倒老人通常会引发身体疾病,有一段住院时间。老人因跌倒引起的疾病及心理和社会问题需要社会工作者行之有效的技术干预,从而消除路倒老人因疾病所产生的生理、心理及社会问题,提升因入院而降低的生活品质。     

State Variations in Nursing Home Social Worker Qualifications

ABSTRACT

This is the first published account of state administrative code variations in nursing home social worker qualifications. It is important to review state codes because the majority of nursing homes in the U.S. have fewer than 121 beds and therefore are not required by the federal government to employ at least one full-time qualified social worker. States have the option of extending the federal regulations to homes with 120 or fewer beds, or strengthening the federal requirements in other ways. Findings indicate enormous variation in state requirements for qualifications of nursing home social workers, and even when states define a qualified nursing home social worker (not all do), they often exempt facilities from employing one. Seven states were found to be out of federal compliance. Research describing the qualifications of people employed in nursing home social services is called for, as well as research documenting effective psychosocial interventions, especially as they relate to resident quality of life. Ten recommendations for enhancing nursing home social work services are included.     

戒毒社会工作者的角色承担及面临的困境

因毒品所引发的相关问题引起了社会的日益关注，戒毒工作的全面展开迫在眉睫，在戒毒模式中引入社会工作的理念与技巧成为一种趋势。本文通过一个具体个案来分析戒毒社会工作者所承担的七种角色及其功效，并进一步讨论了戒毒社会工作者在工作中可能面临的伦理困境。