Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc SOCIAL WORK IN CANADA An Introduction Third Edition Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Social Work with the Elderly  A Portrait of Canada’s Seniors  Canada’s Pension System  Theories of Aging  How Healthy are Seniors?  Issues of Increasing Concern  Abuse and Neglect of Seniors  Social Work in Long-Term Care Settings  Social Work and Home Care

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. A Portrait of Canada’s Seniors The aging of the Canadian population can be attributed to three main factors:  The baby boom generation  Increase in couples postponing having families  Increase in life expectancy

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. A Portrait of Canada’s Seniors A Diverse Group:  One in ten seniors is now 85 or over  Most live in a household  Many live in their own household  90% of senior homeowners have paid off their mortgages  57% live with a spouse

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Canada’s Pension System The pension system has three tiers:  Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement  Canada Pension Plan (Quebec Pension Plan in Quebec)  Private pension plans

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Canada’s Pension System  Current challenges to pension system:  2008 financial crisis led to drop in value of RRSP investments  Many business pension funds now underfunded; may be unable to pay out to retirees  Concern that Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income Supplement are no longer adequate

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Theories of Aging There are five theories of aging:  Activity Theory  Disengagement Theory  Continuity Theory  Role Theory  Life Course Theory

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Theories of Aging Activity theory As people age they have a decrease in life satisfaction that can be relieved by engaging in various activities. Disengagement theory Individual adjustment to aging is accomplished by a natural and inevitable withdrawal from social life.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Theories of Aging Continuity theory To age successfully, one must continue roles and activities of middle years. Role theory Seeks to understand the adjustment of aging people to the new roles entailed in getting older.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Theories of Aging The Life Course Theory has four main principles:  The life course of a person is shaped by his or her historical and geographic placement  The impact of a transition or event depends on when it occurs in a person’s life  Lives are lived interdependently  Individuals construct their own life course through choices and action

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Theories of Aging Ageism Any attitude, action, or institutional structure that subordinates or oppresses a person or group on the basis of age.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. How Healthy Are Seniors?  Life expectancy has doubled over the past 100 years  Majority of seniors do not engage in behaviours harmful to their health  There is a health gap between seniors with low incomes and those with higher incomes

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. How Healthy Are Seniors? Acute and Chronic Pain  Acute Pain Temporary pain that is often severe and can last a few seconds to several days or weeks  Chronic Pain Ongoing, lingering pain that can last few months to many years and can be mild or severe, episodic or continuous, inconvenient or incapacitating

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Issues of Increasing Concern Seniors face a number of common issues:  Inactivity  Accidents  Victims of fraud  Mandatory retirement

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Abuse and Neglect of Seniors Elder Abuse The mistreatment of older people by those in a position of trust, power, or responsibility for their care. Neglect is frequently associated with abuse. Abuse may take place in the home or institutional setting.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Abuse and Neglect of Seniors Institutional Abuse Any act or omission directed at a resident that causes the person harm, or that wrongfully deprives that person of his or her independence.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Social Work in Long-Term Care Settings  Long-term care commonly means nursing home or rehabilitation centre care, primarily for the elderly.  Care involves specialty programs for persons with developmental, physical, mental, or emotional impairments.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Social Work in Long-Term Care Settings Phases of Long-Term Care:  Pre-admission phase  Admission phase  Residency phase  Discharge, transfer, or death phase

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Social Work in Long-Term Care Settings Hospice Palliative Care: Special kind of health care for individuals and families who are living with a life-threatening illness, usually at an advanced stage. The goal is to provide the best quality of life for the critically or terminally ill by ensuring their comfort and dignity.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Social Work and Home Care Home care services include:  Assessment of client needs  Development of an in-home care plan  Provision of nursing, therapy, and home support services  Coordination of medical supplies  Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the client  Respite care to assist informal caregivers  Discharge planning and coordination of placement

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Websites  Seniors Canada Online  Canadian Association on Gerontology (CAG)  CARP: Canada’s Association for the Fifty-Plus

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Questions for Discussion If you had an Aboriginal elder as a client, how would you incorporate his or her lifeview into your social work approach?

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Questions for Discussion Societal changes during the last century have reshaped family structures. Have changing family structures shaped the roles that seniors play in your family? If yes, in what ways?

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Questions for Discussion What are some of the challenges that immigrant seniors face? How might length of time in Canada shape their experience of aging?

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Questions for Discussion Do you think public perspectives on aging will change as increasing numbers of baby boomers retire? Explain your position.

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Questions for Discussion What are three ways you could combat ageism?