"Contract" and Admission to Old People's Homes

Summary Various authors have recently recommended that residents inOld People's Homes should have ‘contracts’. Thisarticle begins by discussing the nature of contracts in general,and the circumstances under which contracts are or are not feltto be appropriate. The nature of Old People's Homes is discussed, and it is shownthat, under what would be considered good practice, there arefew reasons why Homes should not offer contracts. A final sectionputs forward some advantages which contracts might bring.     

Keyworkers Re-examined: Good practice, quality of care and empowerment in residential care of older people

Correspondence to Rosemary Bland, Department of Applied Social Science, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland Summary Social work definitions of ‘good practice’ in residentialcare which were originally developed in work with children andyoung people have also been applied to residential settingsfor other user groups, including older people. However, anylink between such elements of practice and positive outcomesfor users has not always been demonstrated. The introductionof market principles and orientations into social welfare inthe 1980s re-defined the social work ‘client’ asa ‘consumer’ with the associated power to make choicesin the area of social care. The success with which such an approachcan be applied to services for people who are very often, notin a position to exercise much choice, is debatable. Alongsidethe notion of the ‘consumer’ or ‘user’of services has grown the ideology of ‘empowerment’of people who use social work services. Drawing on findingsfrom a recent study, this article explores the contributionof the keyworker role to good practice and the empowerment ofolder people living in residential homes. It concludes that,because their understanding of the concept and practice is largelyundeveloped, the role as currently interpreted is not consonantwith good practice and tends rather to reinforce the power ofstaff.     

CONFLICTING VIEWS ON THE EFFECT OF OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE ON RETIREMENT

The literature explaining the sharp drop in labor force participation of the elderly in recent decades is examined. Several recent studies made by economists outside the Social Security Administration have found the impact of OASI to be much more important than was found by surveys made within the social security system. An examination of census and manpower data lends support to the view that OASI has had an important role in encouraging retirement at earlier ages. The drop in labor force participation among the elderly has impeded government efforts to improve the economic condition of elderly persons.     

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.     

Social Work with Huntington's Chorea

Please address requests for reprints to Rosemary Yale, Association to Combat Huntington's Chorea, 108 Battersea High Street, London SW11 3HP Summary All professionals with knowledge of patients suffering fromHuntington's Chorea (HC) or their relatives, living in a definedgeographical area, were interviewed. Our findings show thatin spite of multiple psychosocial issues from time of diagnosis,and even earlier, social work was offered at a relatively latestage or not at all. Some important tasks such as genetic counsellingwere often ignored or mishandled. Lack of knowledge about theissues inhibited good practice. Professionals failed to communicateadequately and, like HC families, experienced feelings of frustrationand impotence. We conclude that HC requires a team approachif families are to cope with the complex problems they face,and we make recommendations for a better service.