Social Work Commons^™

Increasing Aging Content Within The Social Work Curriculum: Perceptions Of Key Constituents, Stacey Kolomer, Terri Lewinson, Nancy Kropf, Scott Wilks

Nancy P. Kropf

This mixed methodology study examines the perceptions of key constituents regarding methods for effectively integrating aging content into the foundation curriculum of the BSW and MSW program at the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Students were asked to complete a survey to determine their perception of geriatric content that existed within the foundation coursework. Following an analysis of the survey results, eight semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted with a purposeful sample of students, faculty, field instructors, social work alumni, older adults from the community, and representatives from aging agencies. The intention of these focus groups was to …

Life Review With Families Who Care For Developmentally Disabled Members: A Model, Nancy Kropf, Roberta Greene

Nancy P. Kropf

While adult caregiving has recently received greater attention, parents who continue to provide care for an adult child with a developmental disability have been an omitted group of care providers. In this article, life review is discussed as an interventive technique which can aid these parents with their late life caregiving responsibility. Six practice principles are derived for using life review techniques with these parents. Using an ecological framework, four case examples are included that demonstrate how life review can assist these parents with stress associated with the caregiving role.

The Future Of Aging In Social Work: "Everything Old Is New Again", Nancy Kropf, Margaret Adamek

Nancy P. Kropf

With the aging of the baby boom generation, the number of older adults in the U.S. will increase substantially. Using a biopsychosocial framework, this article presents cutting-edge issues of older adulthood and considers emerging roles of social workers with older adults and their families. Research, education, and policy perspectives that will advance social work knowledge, skills and resources in aging are proposed. Social work as a profession is challenged to lead the way in making "everything old new again."

An Infusion Model For Including Content On Elders With Chronic Mental Illness In The Curriculum, Nancy Kropf, Sherry Cummings

Nancy P. Kropf

Older people with chronic mental illness (CMI) are experiencing longer life expectancies that parallel those of the general population. Due to their experience of having CMI, these older adults present unique issues that affect service delivery and care provision. Content on this population is often omitted in the curriculum, which leaves students unprepared to practice with these clients. This article proposes an infusion model that can be used in baccalaureate or graduate foundation courses to increase exposure to elders with CMI.

Second Generation Parenting: Grandparents Who Receive Tanf, Vanessa Robinson-Dooley, Nancy Kropf

Nancy P. Kropf

A review of the scholarly literature indicates that the number of grandparents who are second generation parents (e.g., raising their grandchildren) has increased dramatically. These grandparents often return to parenting with a variety of financial and physical health issues that need to be addressed within the context of their caregiving role. The current study is a secondary data analysis of a sample of grandparent caregivers that received TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) using data from a larger study conducted on welfare reform. The research is primarily descriptive, providing a summary of these grandparents' functioning. Finding and implications for understanding …

Knowledge Of And Attitudes Toward Aging Among Non-Elders: Gender And Race Differences, Nancy Kropf, Sherry Cummings, Kevin Deweaver

Nancy P. Kropf

Although the aging process begins at birth, fears about late adulthood can foster anxiety in younger cohorts about this time of life. This study examines the relationship between non-elderly subjects' (n = 884, 18-55 years) knowledge of and anxieties regarding personal aging and their gender and race. We hypothesized that nonelderly women and persons of color, those who will experience multiple jeopardy in their own late life, would report greater anxiety about their own aging process than did men and majority group members. Women did report lower income and education levels, less knowledge of aging, greater anxiety related to their …

Community Caregiving Partnerships Promoting Alliances To Support Care Providers, Nancy Kropf

Nancy P. Kropf

Although greater numbers of families are providing support to older adults, a lack of comprehensive programming in resource allocation continues to exist at the social policy level. This chapter explores how community care giving partnerships may contribute to a solution.

Evidenced-Based Treatment For Older Adults, Sherry Cummings, Nancy Kropf, Kimberly Cassie, Brian Bride

Nancy P. Kropf

Over the past several decades, the number of older adults has grown at an unprecedented rate. As the number of older adults continues to increase with the aging of the baby boom generation, it is essential that social workers have knowledge of effective strategies for promoting quality of life and treating later-life mental health disorders among older adults and their family members. In order to promote such knowledge, this article reviews the outcomes research literature related to individual and group treatments for older adults and their familial caregivers. Empirically based research studies published between 1985 and the present were examined …

Strategies To Increase Student Interest In Aging, Nancy Kropf

Nancy P. Kropf

Due to changing demographics, all social workers will have experience working with older clients and their families within professional roles. Unfortunately, social work education continues to lag in preparing students to be effective in practice with aging clients. Several strategies are presented with the goal of increasing student interest in the field of aging. At the program level, initiatives include using experiential learning, infusing aging content into required courses, and enhancing faculty capacity in aging. In addition, social work programs can build collaborations within the university setting and practice community. Overall, the goal is to present aging as an exciting …

Interdisciplinary Practice In Developmental Disabilities, Nancy Kropf, D. Michael Malone

Nancy P. Kropf

This article explores the development of interdisciplinary team practice within the field of development disabilities. Various interdisciplinary models are described, and the role of the social worker is specifically reviewed. As social workers practice as members of teams in a variety of contexts, a greater understanding of an interdisciplinary approach is warranted.

Future Training And Education Recommendations For Rural Gerontological Social Workers, Nancy Kropf

Nancy P. Kropf

With the increasing number of older adults, social work students need to be prepared to work with this population in a variety of settings. Rural areas may have high concentrations of older adults including those who age-in-place, and those who relocate to retirement areas in small towns and rural communities. Within the curriculum, content on health care, economics, and leadership/decision making need to be included to prepare students for practice in these areas. In addition, programs need to actively seek students who have an interest in working within more rural practice settings.

Factors Affecting Burden Of South Koreans Providing Care To Disabled Older Family Members, Minhong Lee, Eunkyong Yoon, Nancy Kropf

Nancy P. Kropf

This study examined the determinants of caregiving burden among South Koreans who care for their disabled older family members. A sample of 1,000 primary caregivers taken from the Comprehensive Study for Elderly Welfare Policy in Seoul, South Korea was analyzed. Independent variables included the demographic characteristics of caregivers and care recipients, the severity of cognitive impairment among care recipients, care recipients' functional abilities, financial adequacy and caregivers' degree of social support. Hierarchical regression was used to predict the levels of caregivers' burden. Similar to western care providers, South Korean caregivers who were in poor health and who had little informal …

Grandparents As Family Caregivers: Lessons For Intergenerational Education, Nancy Kropf, Denise Burnett

Nancy P. Kropf

The number of grandparents who have responsibility for raising grandchildren has increased dramatically over the past several decades. From an educational perspective, content on custodial grandparents can promote an increased interest in, and understanding of, the complexities of aging by stressing the intergenerational aspects of this family form. This paper describes the growing population of custodial grandparents, and the larger socio environmental contexts of these families. In addition, it highlights instructional approaches for including content on grandparent-headed families within didactic and experiential courses.

Service Learning As A Transition Into Foundation Field, Nancy Kropf, Mininder Tracey

Nancy P. Kropf

Service learning is a pedagogical method to bridge classroom and community experiences for students. Although social work education has historically emphasized this connection through internship experiences, service learning can fill a different function within the curriculum. This article proposes a service learning experience to assist graduate students with the transition into their foundation field placement. Beneficial outcomes of using service learning as an educational bridge are discussed for students, faculty, and the social work program.

Leisure Activity, Ethnic Preservation, And Cultural Integration Of Older Korean Americans, Nancy Kropf, Eunja Kim, Douglas Kleiber

Nancy P. Kropf

For immigrant groups, leisure activity has the potential both to increase familiarity with a new culture and to preserve cultural history and identity. Using a qualitative case study design, this research analyzed leisure activities of six older Korean Americans to determine both personal and cultural meanings of leisure. From a personal perspective, leisure was used to create two effects for the older adults: Ki-Bun-Chun-Whan, which is the experience of a shift in emotional atmosphere as a result of engaging in activities; and self-development activities, which provide the older adults with opportunities for learning or growth. Cultural meanings of leisure activities …

Consultation, Daniel Harkness

Daniel Harkness

Visionaries once anticipated that consultation would become a significant field of practice in which social workers served as consultants. There are indications that consultation has realized some of that promise in the 21st century, because consultation is second only to direct practice in how licensed social workers spend time at work. And if the primary consumers of social work consultation are social workers themselves, then this reflects a high standard of practice, as seeking case consultation has been codified as a duty in social work codes of ethics, practice standards, and standards of care.

Emotional Exhaustion And Workload Demands Of Kidney Transplant Social Workers, Joseph Merighi, Teri Browne, Sarah Keenan

Teri Browne

This exploratory study examined training issues, emotional exhaustion and workload demands in U.S. kidney transplant socialworkers. Online survey data were obtained from 91 respondents who represented all 18 End-Stage Renal Disease networks.Findings indicated that the majority of the respondents’ employers provided resources for educational training and paid timeoff associated with these trainings. With regard to hours per week spent on specific job tasks, respondents indicated that pretransplantactivities were the most time-consuming, followed by post-transplant and inpatient work. Generally, emotionalexhaustion and workload demands were slightly lower than reported for dialysis social workers. Implications for social workpractice and research are discussed.

Nephrology Social Work: History In The Making, Teri Browne

Teri Browne

No abstract provided.

Psychosocial Aspects Of The 2008 End-Stage Renal Disease Conditions For Coverage, Teri Browne

Teri Browne

On October 14, 2008, practices and policies in every dialysis unit in the United States and its territories will besignificantly changed with the implementation of the 2008 Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) for End-Stage RenalDisease Facilities (Office of the Federal Register, 2008). These CfCs mark the first wholesale change in the regulationsfor dialysis units in more than 30 years, and the Council of Nephrology Social Workers (CNSW) is makingevery effort to provide its members with the tools and resources they need to adapt to and adopt these new CfCs.This special issue of The Journal of Nephrology Social Work is intended to …

Caseloads And Salaries Of Nephrology Social Workers By State, Esrd Network, And National Kidney Foundation Region: Summary Findings For 2007 And 2010, Joseph Merighi, Teri Browne, Kathleen Bruder

Teri Browne

The Council of Nephrology Social Workers and the National Kidney Foundation conducted two national online surveys of nephrology social workers to assess caseload and salary trends by state, End-Stage Renal Disease Network, and National Kidney Foundation Region. Between 2007 and 2010, outpatient dialysis social workers experienced increases in mean case-load size from 73 to 79 (up 8.2%) for those employed 20–31 hours per week, 113 to 121 (up 7.1%) for those employed 32–40 hrs/wk, and 117 to 126 (up 7.7%) for those employed 40 hrs/wk. Increases in mean hourly wage were also reported across all three employment status groups for …

Our Stories Matter: Liberating The Voices Of Marginalized Students Through Scholarly Personal Narrative, Sydnee Viray

Sydnee Viray

No abstract provided.

Mot Nguoi My O Viet Nam Hom Nay: Lepers And Lunacy: An American In Vietnam Today, Kenneth Herrmann

Kenneth Herrmann

By Kenneth J. Herrmann, Jr. An autobiographical account of a war veteran who returned to Vietnam and started a study abroad program there. A unique perspective of the relationship today between Vietnam and America that not only takes the reader into the author's life, but also into the lives of lepers, families who live in a garbage dump, and many others.

Sport For Development And Peace, Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

The discussion will begin with a brief introduction to Sport for Peace and Development (SPD) philosophies and programs. SPD refers to the intentional use of sports, physical activity, and play to attain non-sports objectives. Although SPD often refers to programs that are international in scope, our panelists will be asked to discuss the application of SPD locally. Representation from the following agencies in no particular order are as follows: West Michigan Miracle League, YMCA, Ann Arbor Street Soccer Project, GRAND C.I.T.Y., and Grand Valley State Universities Volleyball program. This panel discussion was sponsored by Grand Valley State Universities School of …

Labor Unions, Corporations And Right-To-Work Laws: Impacts On The American Economy, Cara Robinson

Cara Robinson

The labor movement of the U. S. continues to bring the issue of worker rights to the forefront of American policy debates. As the American economy again has shifted from one based on manufacturing and the production of hard goods to one reliant upon human, financial and informational services, the labor movement faces new challenges. Labor unions and business leaders continue to disagree on the proper role of collective action and the effectiveness of policies aimed at the workplace sector. Today, one of the largest debates is the continued role and expansion of Right-to-Work (RTW) legislation. The debate is often …

The Capacity Evaluation Screen – Social Work (Ces-Sw): Development Of A Brief Instrument, Minnhong Lee, Nancy Kropf

Nancy P. Kropf

This study aimed to develop and validate an assessment tool for social workers to screen whether an individual is able to provide consent for involvement in social work programs. The Capacity Evaluation Screen – Social Work (CES-SW) was developed to be a valid and reliable instrument for brief administration. Theoretically, the CES – SW includes the four domains of capacity to consent which are evidencing a choice, understanding, reasoning, and appreciation. Method: Data were obtained from 264 potential clients from six community welfare centers in a metropolitan city in South Korea. Reliability and validity were tested through a series of …

The Abcs Of Gfe, Brandon Youker

Brandon W. Youker Ph.D

Goal-free evaluation (GFE) is the process of determining something’s merit intentionally without reference to its stated goals and objectives. The following PowerPoint presentation describes GFE and discusses preliminary attempts at operationalization. The video concludes with a lively discussion where audience members challenge Dr. Youker on GFE's feasibility and merit. . *This presentation is available at The Evaluation Center's website archived as an Evaluation Café presentation: http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/2012/11/goal-free-evaluation-an-analog-experiment-comparing-goal-free-evaluation-and-goal-based-evalation-utility/

Partner Violence Assessment In Rural Health Care Clinic, Ann Coker, Vicki C. Flerx, Paige H. Smith, Daniel J. Whitaker, Mary Kay Fadden, Melinda Williams

Dan Whitaker

Objectives. We sought to determine the frequency of intimatepartner violence by type in a large, clinic-based, nurse-administeredscreening and services intervention project.

Methods. A brief intimate partner violence screen, which includeditems to measure sexual and physical assaults and psychologicalbattering (using the Women’s Experience With Batteringscale) was administered to consenting women receiving care at1 of 8 rural clinics in South Carolina.

Results. Between April 2002 and August 2005, 4945 eligible womenwere offered intimate partner violence screening, to which 3664(74.1%) consented. Prevalence of intimate partner violence ina current (ongoing) relationship was 13.3%, and 939 women (25.6%)had experienced intimate partner violence at some point …

Gaining Ground, Losing Ground: The Paradoxes Of Rural Homelessness, Cheryl Forchuk, Phyllis Montgomery, Helene Berman, Catherine Ward-Griffin, Rick Csiernik, Carolyn Gorlick, Elsabeth Jensen, Patrick Riesterer

Rick Csiernik

The study examined rural housing and homelessness issues and looked at similarities and differences between rural and urban areas. It involved a secondary analysis of focus group data collected in a 2001-06 Community University Research Alliance study of mental health and housing. The findings highlight concerns regarding the lack of services, which can precipitate a move from a rural to an urban community. Inadequate transportation services often posed a challenge to rural residents attempting to access services. Many participants preferred rural living but felt they had to choose between residing where they wanted to and having access to essential services. …

Adherence Among Women With Hiv Infection In Puerto Rico, Desiree Ciambrone, Helen Loewenthal, Lauri Bazerman, Carmen Zorilla, Brenda Urbina, Jennifer Mitty

Desiree A Ciambrone

Women are the fastest growing segment of the adult population acquiring HIV, and most women infected with HIV are in their reproductive years. The success of HAART is highly dependent upon the ability and willingness of the individual to adhere to complex antiretroviral regimens. Improved adherence among HIV-infected pregnant women will delay disease progression in the mother and should also reduce HIV transmission to the baby. Modified directly observed therapy (MDOT), may benefit this population. MDOT has been shown to be an acceptable and feasible intervention among HIV substance users; however, no-one has yet evaluated the use of MDOT in …

From Child Abuse To Permanency Planning, Deborah Siegel

Deborah H Siegel

Reviews the book "From Child Abuse to Permanency Planning: Child Welfare Services Pathways and Placements," Richard P. Barth, Jill Duerr Berrick, Mark Courtney, and Vicky Albert..