It Takes a Community: Older Lesbians Meeting Social and Care Needs

Although specialized formal services are becoming more prevalent in addressing the needs of the older LGBT community, little is known about informal groups that have organized to meet the needs of this population. This article presents two case examples that depict the efforts of older lesbians to meet the social and care needs of members of their communities. The concept of psychological contracting is used to analyze these experiences, and combined with a review of the literature, practice implications for care and support for this special population are discussed.     

Preparing Social Workers for Child Welfare Practice: An Innovative University–Agency Learning Collaborative

This paper describes the evolution of a university–community child welfare learning collaborative based on an adaptation of the teaching hospital concept. This partnership between an agency providing a range of child and family welfare services and two university units, the school of social work and outreach, was intended to accomplish multiple agency, university and community goals: implement best practices in the agency, enhance social work education, increase staff resources in child welfare, influence public policy, and improve the lives of children and families in the child welfare system. The major strategy was ‘Grand Rounds’ modeled after the system used to train medical students through multiple transactions with experts in a clinical setting. The first year was very successful, with students, agency staff and faculty giving the sessions high ratings in content, quality and utility. One key to the success of the initiative was that it was an agency‐driven process and was based on working relationships of mutual respect and trust. Building such relationships takes both time and effort. Future challenges will include garnering the resources, both human and financial, to sustain the collaboration over time.     

BSW students and interviewing: physiological,psychological, and pedagogical perspectives from Canada

The acquisition of interviewing skills is a hallmark of social work education; however, few studies have examined the experience of learning these skills from the students’ perspective. This qualitative study undertaken in Ontario, Canada, examined Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students’ perceptions of interviewing. Individual interviews were conducted with second-year BSW students (n = 17) following their completion of an interviewing course. The following six themes emerged as to how students perceived learning interviewing skills: 1) emotional responses; 2) physiological responses; 3) psychological responses; 4) coping strategies; 5) the need for constructive criticism; and 6) the role of the course instructor. The study suggests that instructors normalize the presence of negative emotions and provide more structure and instructions for giving and receiving feedback when using role-plays.     

Streptococcal Pharyngitis in Infectious Mononucleosis

Abstract

In a study of infectious mononucleosis among college students and adolescents the incidence of beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis was found to be significantly higher–23 of 88 college students (28%) and 12 of 25 adolescents (48%), as compared to a control group of the same age and sex who were seen at the same time for unrelated, noninfectious problems–9 of 88 college students (10%) and 4 of 25 adolescents (16%). The stress effect of having infectious mononucleosis is suggested as a possible explanation for the increased incidence of beta-streptococcal pharyngitis in the affected groups.     

College Students' Exposure to Tobacco Marketing in Nightclubs and Bars

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether a college student's exposure to tobacco marketing in nightclubs and bars was affected by the presence of a smoke-free law. Participants: A random sample (N = 478) of students participated in the survey (no smoke-free law, n = 240; smoke-free law, n = 238). The analysis was limited to students who reported being in nightclubs and bars (n = 171). Methods: A nonexperimental, cross-sectional, 2-group design was used. Results: Students in the smoke-free law city were more likely to be approached by tobacco marketers (34.7% versus 20.2%, p = .02), offered free gifts (41.7% versus 24.2%, p = .02), and take free gifts for themselves (34.7% versus 19.2%, p = .02). They were more likely to be exposed to direct marketing strategies (1.83 versus 1.12, p = .02). There was no difference on indirect tobacco marketing by site. Conclusions: Tobacco marketing is pervasive in nightclubs and bars. Smoke-free laws may protect against exposure to secondhand smoke but not the “pro” smoking messages students encounter.     

High Life Satisfaction: Exploring the Role of Health,Social Integration and Perceived Safety among Mexican Midlife and Older Adults

We sought to investigate the relationship of high life satisfaction with important physical health, mental health, social integration and perceived safety factors among midlife and older Mexican adults. We examined 2,200 midlife and older adults (aged 50–101 years) from the Mexican arm of the Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) and used binary logistic regression models to identify key factors associated with high LSA. Our final logistic regression model revealed self-rated health, affect, interpersonal activities and perceived safety on street to be significantly associated with high life satisfaction. Results from this study add to the nascent literature on subjective well-being of midlife and older Mexicans. Although social work with older adults is not well established in Mexico, researchers and practitioners should collaborate on the development and implementation of social worker-led strategies for prevention and intervention to enhance well-being among midlife and older Mexicans.     

Advance Care Planning in the Delivery of Adult Protective Services

ABSTRACT

In ensuring the safety and protection of older adults from abuse and exploitation, adult protective services (APS) workers face a variety of situations involving serious illness and end-of-life conditions. Many older adults encountered in APS will present with one or more chronic conditions that may warrant discussion of advance care planning with clients and their families. This study surveyed APS workers (n = 508) in 21 states regarding encounters with end-of-life situations and the practice of future care planning. Results revealed that three-fourths of APS workers encounter clients with serious illnesses and about two-thirds do discuss planning in advance for care. More than one-half of the respondents indicated client incapacity and refusal to address future care needs as barriers to discussing planning in advance for care. Recommendations to enhance advance care planning among APS workers are discussed.     

Age,Wage, and Job Placement: Older Women’s Experiences Entering the Retail Sector

Older women seeking employment often find opportunities limited to low-wage jobs, such as those in retail. We report findings about job placement and starting wages for hourly workers hired at a women’s apparel retailer from August 2006 to December 2009. We examine competing hypotheses regarding the role of age in explaining women’s job placement and starting wages. Although newly hired women age 55+ earn higher wages and are placed in higher-quality jobs than the youngest women (ages 18–22), they are less likely to be placed in better-quality jobs than their midlife counterparts. Overall, wage differences are largely explained by job quality.     

Archiving and perpetual access for web-based journals: A look at the issues and how five e-journal providers are addressing them

Abstract

From the spring of 2002 to early 2004, Innovative Interfaces, Inc. worked with several libraries in a development partnership to create an electronic resource management (ERM) system. The new ERM system is designed to track licensing and purchasing information about electronic resources, define relationships among aggregators, publishers, or vendors and the resources they provide, and to selectively display information in the Web OPAC for public services staff and patrons.