The Role of Social Work in Hospital Discharge to Residential or Nursing Home Care - Essay Example

Topic: Social work practice with OLDER PEOPLE must take account of various identity issues. Discuss this in relation to one of the following areas ofidentity: gender SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH OLDER PEOPLE Social work practice covers a wide array of clientele group and, perhaps, one of the most challenging aspects of the profession is working with the elderly. The quality of service provided to this sector is somewhat influenced by a sub-consciousness hopeless belief in the worker's capacity to effect change in their lives as they are already approaching their "twilight" years which means to some that the only thing left to do is to ensure that they will live a comfortable and decent life for whatever is left of their time. Their ways are long set and because they are older than the professionals working with them, it is difficult to obtain their participation in the case management process, wherein the worker is the initiator. Most of them have feelings of "been there, done that, so I know more than you do", at least those who are still in command of their faculties. Another challenge is the fact that it is common for the clients to be afflicted with different kinds of diseases and disabilities, physically, mentally, or emotionally. This paper aims to give an in-depth discussion of the challenges involved in working with the older people and how the clients' identity issues affect their relationship dynamics with the worker. First, let us explore the clients' perspectives and situations as they enter the residential home for the elderly. Some have existing and financially capable relatives but they choose to stay in a residential facility so as not to burden their family members with their needs. It could be pride, or a deeply ingrained sense of independence that spur them to opt for professional and paid help. It could be a defense against possible future rejection and the hurt that it would cause. Others would have preferred to stay with their children and grandchildren, as in most cases in Asian countries, but the family members are either too poor, too disgusted at the prospect of being solely responsible of taking care of an old person, or too concerned with having their lifestyles cramped. The older persons in these cases are admitted to residential homes despite wanting to stay with their families or to remain in their homes. They just weren't given much choice. Majority were placed in residential homes because of physical and/or mental disabilities, and because they don't have anybody anymore. These factors, one way or another, has impacts on the clients' psychological state and these invariably affect their responsiveness and cooperation during the course of case management. As each and every human being has unique identities and personalities, the dynamics of an older person and his or her identity is profoundly affected http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/ti113.pdf Australian Institute of Criminology. Trends and Issues in crime and criminal justice. No. 113 Abuse of Older People: Crime or Family Dynamics. Pamela Kinnear and Adam Graycar ISBN 0 642 24103 1 ; ISSN 0817-8542 May 1999 Pamela Kinnear & Adam Graycar. May 1999. Retrieved December 6, 2005 http://www.shef.ac.uk/newdynamics/specification.html The New Dynamics of Ageing - an Interdisciplinary Research Programme Retrieved December 6, 2005 http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/aging/article.htm#a150. North Carolina Division Of Aging. Articles. Retrieved December 6, 2005 http://www.bl.uk/collections/social/welfare/issue40/carelduk.html. The British Library Welfare Reform on the Web - December 2002 CARE OF THE ELDERLY - UK CARE MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL WORK: A CASE STUDY OF THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORK IN HOSPITAL DISCHARGE TO RESIDENTIAL OR NURSING HOME CARE J. Phillips and J. Waterson European Journal of Social Work, vol. 5, 2002, p. 171-186 Argues that legislative changes since 1990 to health and social care for older people in England and Wales have had a major impact on social work roles and tasks. Since 1990 the primary emphasis on managerialism in social work has changed the roles and tasks that social workers carry out at the interface of the health and social care systems. There is a less emphasis on provision of informational and emotional support to clients and more on the administrative functions of care management. WHAT DETERMINES THE USE OF HOME CARE SERVICES BY ELDERLY PEOPLE H. Stoddart and others Health and Social Care in the Community, vol. 10, 2002, p. 348-360 Study investigated the determinants of use of statutory and private home care services by a sample of 2000 elderly people living in the community in Bristol. Increasing age, not owning a car, and being a widow(er) were associated with greater use of both statutory and private home care services, as was worse self-reported overall health. Older age on leaving full time education was associated with increased use of private services. For women, leakage of urine was associated with greater use of private services. Problems with eyesight were determinants for use of both types of home care services for women, but only private services for men. http://www.shef.ac.uk/ageingresearch/pdf/hcm_review_high.pdf Health and Social Care Management for Older People by Marianne Schroll 2005 European Forum on Population Ageing Research - funding agency http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp. National Association of Social Workers. Code of Ethics http://www.helpguide.org/elder_care.htm last modified: 7-6-05 Rotary Club of Santa Monica and center for healthy aging. Help Guide. Elder Care https://www.haworthpress.com/store/Toc_views.aspsid=SAQCTHUCGJ3V8NGATNVB0SXERH1759NF&TOCName=J083v37n01%5FTOC&desc=Volume%3A%2037%20Issue%3A%201 The Haworth Press, Inc. Journal Of Gerontological Social Work (ISSN: 0163-4372) Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Cover Date: 2002 Publication Date: 2002 Copyright Date: 2002 GENDER ISSUE IN SOCIAL WORK People view us in different ways. Thru socialization and society framework, they are broken down into six main parts; racism, sexism, heterosexism, ability, ageism, and oppression. Many of these occur in the ordinary work place of a social worker. We must strive to eliminate these societal barriers in dealing with to old people in home for a aged. Social workers' job is presently dominated by the public opinion that it is a woman's job. Just as the other discriminatory race, age , ability, and class or affiliation. Social work, or residential work as they say, and workers as evidenced by history, are oppressive. Anti - oppressive practice means recognizing power imbalances and working toward promotion of change to redress the balance of power. As social workers we must treat the old people under our care as equals. We must not see a person as black or white or brown or yellow or green. The ethics of Social Work tells us to help the needy even if the salary is not that attractive, irregardless of the status of the person in life is. The words black or white should be eliminated from our daily vocabulary. We must serve both the male and the female patients as equal as if he or she is our long lost grandmother or grandfather Gender : A second form of oppression is through the use of sexism. Sexism is the practice of male In the social work climate, the males and females must be treated equally. Both as workers and as members of the old patients of the home of the aged. Gender in society is usually not defined in terms of biological male or female, but rather unintentionally impressing on us that the males are more superior and can do a better job than female social workers. Other impressions of social work is that the females are more adept at doing it than men. Others still look at that as if social work is not meant for the males for it is a woman's job. This kind of impression should be eliminated. Sexism, as they call it, points out that the male is more privileged and should be given priority in job vacancies and promotions the choice for a given position is between a male and a female. This is what they call stereotyping. This started in western societies, when roles were delegated to society and family members based on gender (Hepworth & Larsen ,1993). Each gender is instructed to perform certain allowed behaviors that is done by the male or the female. Children are made to understand the division and the rights of each gender by difference in the dress they were, the colours of the dress they wear, the toys they play like guns and dolls and cars, the friends they associate with and the type of play that each gender is allowed to do. Males are encouraged to be doctors, female nurses, male managers, female secretaries, male bread winners, female housewives and also female social worker. There should be an organized movement or agreement among members of a group to remove this gender issue. This internalized oppression that we put on ourselves because of the prevailing norms of gender should stopped. This gender norm can be changed with the use of media, schools, religious organizations and the like. (Turner, 1999) Anti -oppressive norms can challenge with many success in some areas of society regarding these gender myths and traditions. Rather, the profession of social work should be given to someone who has the heart, the love, the dedication to give the best social work possible to our grandfather and grandmother generation. (Greenspan, 1993). (PAUL MOORE, THE INTERNATIONAL CHILD AND YOUTH CARE NETWORK Issue 59 - December 2003) According to the book Handbook of Social Work Direct Practice by A. Mares & Garvin, Sage Publications, London, 2000, The female social worker is likened to a warrior and a damsel in distress. Battered women are a common sight. Feminism groups have joined the social worker in striving for equal treatment of women as compared to men. The Feminist Practice Project Pilot Study in 1983. They then established the Association of Women in Social Work. They did research work on the female social work practice. The conclusion was that some social workers prefer to care for the older generation by feminizing the present social work practice procedures. The problem generated by this new movements are the principles are too abstract to guide everyday social work activities. Women of the feminist movement are now renegotiating their roles at work, in school, and at play. In the book Ben Carniol, author of Case Critical: Social Services & Social Justice in Canada 5th edition, History shows that women had lesser rights and privileges than men, Men were conditioned to have more power and privileges than women. Women now a days feel that this is unjust. This is the reason for the women's movements of the early time periods. History tells us that the women fought hard to gain the equal footing they have today. But gender issue is still very strongly felt in some nations and societies. A number of year in the future, we will look back and wonder why did we see the unfairness that was confirmed and permitted by the society then such as discrimination based on color or gender. "There are a whole series of identities that generate patterns of inequalities: based for example, on gender, colour, class, and sexual orientation. These patterns of inequalities give privileges to one group at the expense of another. That's what is meant by illegitimate privilege. The people who gain the privileges learn to view themselves as "superior" in one way or another in order to justify the privileges, not only to themselves but also to the people who don't have those privileges. Those who don't have those privileges come to accept that condition because they often internalize the prejudices against them." Comment: this prior privileges have been reduced to equality. Men and women can now compete with each other for any job or position in society. The question is, can women be hired are firemen Can women be hired manual laborers, can women fight men in the same boxing ring. The interpretation of equality must not be interpreted in this way. CONCLUSION: God had made us man or woman. Each has a different biological function. The man has to work and the woman has to take care of the family home. This is the general principle was accepted during the olden times. Man is biologically stronger than a woman. Therefore, heavy manual tasks like lifting a log or catching a wild boar in the forest is a man's job. The woman's job is to bear a child, to wash the clothes and to cook the food. Now a days, we can hear of highly paid male chefs. We can also hear stories of the presidents of big companies or the managers of popular industries that are held together by women managers. We can also hear of male nurses, female doctors, female lawyers, female soldiers, policewomen and others. We can hear of men washing the clothes and women mowing the lawn. All these are examples that thru necessity or predicament, the woman has to fill the shoes of a man because the husband has been untimely disposed. In the article needs of older women; services for victims of elder abuse and other abuse which was conducted by Jacki Pritchard. (http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialcare/5100.asp) REFERENCES: http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/ti113.pdf Australian Institute of Criminology. Trends and Issues in crime and criminal justice. No. 113 Abuse of Older People: Crime or Family Dynamics. Pamela Kinnear and Adam Graycar ISBN 0 642 24103 1 ; ISSN 0817-8542 May 1999 Pamela Kinnear & Adam Graycar. May 1999. Retrieved December 6, 2005 http://www.shef.ac.uk/newdynamics/specification.html The New Dynamics of Ageing - an Interdisciplinary Research Programme Retrieved December 6, 2005 http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/aging/article.htm#a150. North Carolina Division Of Aging. Articles. Retrieved December 6, 2005 http://www.bl.uk/collections/social/welfare/issue40/carelduk.html. The British Library Welfare Reform on the Web - December 2002 CARE OF THE ELDERLY - UK http://www.shef.ac.uk/ageingresearch/pdf/hcm_review_high.pdf Health and Social Care Management for Older People by Marianne Schroll 2005 European Forum on Population Ageing Research - funding agency http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp. National Association of Social Workers. Code of Ethics http://www.helpguide.org/elder_care.htm last modified: 7-6-05 Rotary Club of Santa Monica and center for healthy aging. Help Guide. Elder Care https://www.haworthpress.com/store/Toc_views.aspsid=SAQCTHUCGJ3V8NGATNVB0SXERH1759NF&TOCName=J083v37n01%5FTOC&desc=Volume%3A%2037%20Issue%3A%201 The Haworth Press, Inc. Journal Of Gerontological Social Work (ISSN: 0163-4372) Volume: 37 Issue: 1 Cover Date: 2002 Publication Date: 2002 Copyright Date: 2002 PAUL MOORE, THE INTERNATIONAL CHILD AND YOUTH CARE NETWORK Issue 59 - December 2003 In the book Ben Carniol, author of Case Critical: Social Services & Social Justice in Canada 5th edition, http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialcare/5100.asp CARE MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL WORK: A CASE STUDY OF THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORK IN HOSPITAL DISCHARGE TO RESIDENTIAL OR NURSING HOME CARE J. Phillips and J. Waterson European Journal of Social Work, vol. 5, 2002, p. 171-186 Read More