What Are the Requirements to Be a Social Worker

What Do Social Workers Do in Gerontology?

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As a social worker, you may choose the field you'd like to work in for personal or professional reasons. If you are interested in working with the elderly, you might decide to work in the field of gerontology, the study and practice of working with the aging.

About Gerontology

The field of gerontology has been growing steadily as more baby boomers reach the age of retirement. According to the Administration on Aging, 39.6 million adults were 65 or older as of 2009. Gerontology focuses on the physical, mental and social aspects of aging. Gerontologists learn about and focus on how the body ages and the effects of physical changes on the individual, the specific mental health needs of the elderly, such as depression or dementia, and social needs, such as how to prevent or reduce social isolation or assist with the development of social policies that may help the aging.

Gerontological Social Work

Social workers play a significant role in the field of gerontology. According to an article published in 1998 in the "Journal of Gerontological Social Work," gerontological social work focuses on maintaining and enhancing the quality of life of older adults and their families. Social workers try to alleviate barriers that may prevent or inhibit the elderly from receiving assistance. As much as possible, social workers also try to help the aging maintain a sense of dignity and independence as they get older. This may involve engaging in academic research on how to best help elderly adults cope with the aging process, assisting clients with concrete services such as benefits and food, or providing psychological counseling.

Education and Training

To become a gerontological social worker, you'll need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in social work. To apply for the National Association of Social Workers Credential in Gerontology, or SW-G, you'll need to have worked in the field for at least three years, accumulated 4,500 hours of supervised experience and have participated in 20 hours of continuing education related to gerontology. If you have a master's degree in social work, you can apply for the credentials of Clinical Social Worker in Gerontology, or CSW-G, or the Advanced Social Worker in Gerontology, ASW-G. The CSW-G requires 30 hours of continuing education on gerontology, 3,000 hours of post-master's degree work with the aging, and a license in social work in your state. The ASW-G requires 20 hours of gerontological continuing education, 3,000 hours of post-master's degree work with the aging, and a license in social work in your state.

Job Settings

A wide range of job opportunities are available to gerontological social workers, including working in hospitals and other health care settings, hospices, community organizations that work with the elderly or assisted living facilities. You may help your clients overcome physical barriers, such as providing home visits or arranging for Meals on Wheels for a homebound client, or collaborate with family members, helping them cope with an aging parent with dementia. Gerontological social workers may also work on a interdisciplinary team in health care settings with doctors, nurses and other professionals to ensure that their clients' needs are met in an effective and expedient way. For example, you may help an elderly client arrange for home health care services after being discharged from the hospital. You might help a dying client work through the stages of grief, or you may provide supportive counseling to family members who have just lost a loved one.

References

Writer Bio

Ashley Miller is a licensed social worker, psychotherapist, certified Reiki practitioner, yoga enthusiast and aromatherapist. She has also worked as an employee assistance program counselor and a substance-abuse professional. Miller holds a Master of Social Work and has extensive training in mental health diagnosis, as well as child and adolescent psychotherapy. She also has a bachelor's degree in music.

What Are the Requirements to Be a Social Worker

Source: https://work.chron.com/social-workers-gerontology-11662.html

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