Gerontological Social Work
Gerontological social work provides services to older adults and their families, addressing the social, health, and care needs of aging.
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Scope
It covers aging and the life course, long-term care, elder mental health and abuse, and services and policy for older adults.
Core questions
- What are the social needs of older adults?
- How should long-term care be organized?
- How can ageism be addressed?
- How do families and services support aging?
Key concepts
- Aging and the life course
- Long-term care
- Ageism
- Elder abuse
- Active aging
- Caregiving
Key theories
- Disengagement and aging
- Cumming and Henry's (contested) disengagement theory framed early social gerontology.
- Ageism
- Butler named and analysed 'ageism' and the social neglect of the old.
History
Gerontological social work drew on social gerontology (disengagement and activity theories) and Butler's critique of ageism, developing services for an aging population.
Debates
- Disengagement versus activity in aging
- Whether successful aging involves withdrawal or continued engagement.
Key figures
- Elaine Cumming
- William Henry
- Robert Butler
Related topics
Seminal works
- cumming-henry-1961
- butler-1975
Frequently asked questions
- What is ageism?
- Prejudice and discrimination on the basis of age, especially against older people, a term coined by Robert Butler.