Social Work Education

National Council on Aging - Charity organization that works with individuals ages 60+. Their website has resources on anything elderly individuals could need. They include updates concerning legislation that affects seniors, and they work with nonprofits and businesses to provide community resources that aid in financial security and healthy living.

AARP - A nonprofit organization that works with adults ages 50+. AARP describes their organization as “We work on important issues, such as: Leading efforts to update Social Security and promote other retirement savings efforts to help everyone achieve lifetime financial security.

. Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE® - Assists people 55 years and older by providing and coordinating care for seniors living in longterm care facilities.

Eldercare Locator - Eldercare Locator is a free service offered by the US Administration on Aging. The service provides seniors with information regarding local resources ex: legal and financial support, transportation, caregiving services etc.

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) - AAA is a network of over 620 organizations that offer various resources for seniors ages 60+.

National Institute on Aging - The National Institute on Aging is underneath the National Institute on Health and is a research based organization that provides health resources for seniors.

Meals on Wheels - As the name suggests, Meals on Wheels is a meal program that is operated independently through 5,000 local programs. The program provides meals based on local need. 

Health Finder - Operated under the US Department of Health and Human Services. The website “provides links to helpful health-related websites, support, and self-help groups, in addition to as government agencies and nonprofit organizations that assist seniors.”

Guide to Long-Term Care for Veterans - Provides veterans enrolled in the VHA health care system with resources and information about long term care.

Social isolation is something that everyone has probably dealt with at some point in their life. Whether it be because of COVID 19, being busy due to work or school, or even moving away from your family; social isolation has affected us all! Being younger makes dealing with social isolation so much more easy! However, as you get older it gets harder to combat social isolation, even more-so for the elderly. I know that I’ve seen the affects. of social isolation on my grandparents. They’ve gotten older and their mobility is limited due to various injuries, having knee and hip replacements, and having strokes. They can’t go to annual events or parties like they used to. Unfortunately due to the passage of time many of their childhood or military friends and family have passed away. All are factors that can increase feelings of loneliness in elderly individuals. 

Research has linked social isolation to a higher risk for having physical and mental health conditions. 

High blood pressure

Heart Disease

Obesity

A weakened immune system

Anxiety

Depression

Cognitive Decline

Ombudsman programs work to resolve problems related to the rights of clients residing at LTC (Long Term Care) facilities. The program focuses on problems that relate to the health, safety, and welfare of clients. The program is active in all 50 states, DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico with each state having their own offices. The program is required to meet certain criteria as specified by the OAA (Older Americans Act.) Such criteria includes:

Identify, investigate, and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents;

Provide information to residents about LTSS;

Ensure that residents have regular and timely access to ombudsman services;

Represent the interests of residents before governmental agencies and seek administrative, legal, and other remedies to protect residents; and

Analyze, comment on, and recommend changes in laws and regulations pertaining to the health, safety, welfare, and rights of residents.

I’ve included a link that will enable you to find the location of you state ombudsman’s program! 

What’s life like for our loved ones once we send them to long-term care homes?

Before my grandfather passed from COVID last July he lived in a long-term care facility. We were extremely limited in our options. My grandfather refused to be apart from his wife of 60 years, and my grandmother could no longer drive. He wanted to remain in his hometown, but the only care facility had awful reviews. He stayed in the facility for a few months, until we caught one of the aides abusing him on camera. 

Unfortunately this is a reality many elderly people in long-term care facilities will face. I found a documentary about Maria, who dealt with a similar issue. Her mother died in a Toronto nursing home due to neglect from staff members that failed to check her during the night when she was having problems breathing.

“Mom/Dad is starting to get older and needs help, and I’m not sure what we should do for them.”

This is a statement that I’ve heard several times over the last few years from my parents. My grandparents are beginning to reach the end of their life and are struggling with increasingly worsening physical and mental health. The issue in my family is that all my grandparents are fiercely independent, and don’t wish to leave their homes. This has caused issues with my family as we question how to keep them in their homes while keeping them safe without intruding on their privacy. Thankfully there are several long term care options available for elderly people such as my grandparents.

The Medicare website advises that family members talk to a social worker, healthcare provider, or counselor  about their options before making any drastic life changes.

Long-Term Care Options to Consider

Home and Community Based Services

Hospice 

Respite care

A service that family members can utilize to help prevent caretaker burnout 

Home Healthcare

Nurses, physical therapy

Subsidized Senior Housing

Residential Care Communities or Group Homes

Continuing Care Retirement Communities

Individual homes or apartments

Assisted Living Facility

Retirement Home or Long Term Care Facility

Every population that you work with will face unique need-based challenges, whether that be due to their age, culture, religious beliefs etc. The aging population in America faces special problems and circumstances due to their age and ageism. 

Physical and Mental Health

There are a variety of of physical conditions and illnesses that a person can face due to their advanced age. These issues can be exacerbated by  conditions such as poverty, diet, level of physical activity or being predisposed to chronic illnesses. Common conditions that the aging population deals with includes:

arthritis

high blood pressure

vision loss

hearing loss

diabetes

heart disease

dementia or alzheimers

According to the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, “two-thirds of all people 65 or older need help with at least one daily living activity,” for example bathing or cooking a meal. 

Financial Security and Homelessness

The elderly are less likely to live in poverty than younger generations mostly due to being provided with Social Security. However, this varies based on sex, social class and racial background. Women are much more likely to live in poverty than men. “Among women 65 and older, 9 percent of whites live in poverty, compared to 27 percent of African Americans, 12 percent of Asians, and 21 percent of Hispanics.”

Reference: 

As a social worker you’ll be working with a diverse population of clientele! You’re bound to see clients from different ages, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities religious backgrounds. Each different population  will require individualized need based services, and it’s important for you to understand what those needs are.

This week we’re focusing on an underserved and often forgotten population - the elderly! In America, a person is considered elderly if they are ages 65 and over. 

As you can see the elderly population makes up a size-able portion of the American population. The states with the highest percentage of elderly are: Maine, Florida, West Virginia, and Vermont. In these states the elderly population makes up 20-21% of the total population.

The median annual income for older persons is  $27,398.

In 2019 an estimated 4.9 million lived below the poverty level, and 2.6 million were near poverty.