www.SocialWorkToday.com  |   Trouble viewing this e-mail? Go here.

Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
In this Issue
Continuing Education
Social Work Today's CE program offers social workers the opportunity to earn CEs from the comfort of their homes or offices.

Visit www.SocialWorkTodayCE.com today and join the thousands of professionals from across the country who have already have taken advantage of this great program.

Simply read an issue of the magazine, complete the online exam or the printed exam published in the magazine, and earn 2 CE credits! PLUS, you have the opportunity to earn CE credits from past issues, too! See what all the talk is about. Visit www.SocialWorkTodayCE.com today for more information!
Have a product or service you want to market to social work professionals, or an open position that you need to fill quickly? Social Work Today offers many flexible advertising programs designed to maximize your results. From print advertising to e-newsletter sponsorships, website advertising to direct mail opportunities, Social Work Today helps achieve your goals. E-mail our experienced account executives today for more information or call 800-278-4400!

AlliedHealthCareers.com is the premier online resource to recruit social work professionals. Post your open positions, view resumes and showcase your facility's offerings all at AlliedHealthCareers.com!
Gift Shop
Commemorate National Professional Social Work Month in March by ordering something cool yourself or for a deserving professional colleague today! Show your professional pride throughout March and beyond with new designs on social work-themed items like shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags, mouse pads and more. It's easy and affordable on the Social Work Today online Gift Shop. Check out our secure online shop today or call toll-free 877-809-1659 for easy and fast ordering.
Social Work Today is mobile for iPhone, iPad and Android users! Visit www.SocialWorkToday.com/digital
on your phone's browser to view the mobile version of this issue and bookmark us for future issues.

You will need Adobe Flash Player to view your digital issue. Go here for a free download.
 
Editor's E-Note
Observers of technology’s impact on society have written at length about the digital divide among the generations who grew up with technology as second nature and the baby boomers (and beyond) who didn’t know an app from an apple until just recently. Regardless of where elders are on the tech-literacy continuum, there’s no denying that technology has been used and will continue to be used to help improve health outcomes among elders and other age groups.

A California-based nonprofit is aiming to do just that for elders in the Los Angeles area, as this month’s E-News Exclusive will explain. The cultural diversity of this region will provide both opportunities and challenges, observes Forrest Hong, PhD, LCSW, C-ASWCM, who works in the city as a social worker and geriatric care manager. “It needs to be done in a language sensitive and culturally competent way,” says Hong, “It’s going to take time. It’s a matter of developing trust.”

The trust that Hong refers to will be needed to break down not only cultural and language barriers but also generational and attitudinal barriers between younger designers and program managers who were raised tech literate and will help implement the technology and the older adults who will hopefully embrace it and benefit from it.

We wish them all the best with this project!

Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

— Marianne Mallon, editor
E-News Exclusive
Creating an ‘Ecosystem of Health and Wellness’
to Reach Underserved Older Adults

By Christina Reardon, MSW, LSW

As the number of older Americans continues to grow, so too do concerns about how to keep elders from overtaxing the nation’s healthcare system. In response, many technology-driven projects have emerged with the goal of keeping older adults out of hospitals and skilled nursing facilities and in their homes and communities. The aims of these programs have ranged from promoting health literacy to preventing cognitive decline to increasing coordination between care providers.

Full Story »
Recently in Social Work Today
10 Dedicated & Deserving Social Workers
Social Work Today honors exemplary social workers nominated by their peers for their accomplishments and commitment to the profession. Read more »

Using Exercise to Combat Depression
More people are finding that adding exercise to a depression treatment regimen makes sense, and research is showing that it works. Read more »

Transitioning Older Inmates to Life Outside Prison
The transition from prison to life on the outside can be difficult for anyone, but for older adults, the challenge of reintegrating into society is often compounded by the difficulties associated with aging. Read more »

Reminiscence and Structured Life Review —
Treating Depression in Older Adults

Structured life review and reminiscence therapy offer an alternative intervention for treating depression in older adults. Read more »
Other Social Work News
Education Key in Keeping Brain Fit as It Ages
According to The New York Times, research indicates that education is a key element in keeping the brain fit as it ages.

Brit Urges Immunity for Person Who Assists Suicide
USA Today reports on a British right-to-die case.

Disparity Between Male and Female Pain Perception
According to CNN, research shows a disparity between men and women in experiencing pain. Do women feel more pain or do they report it more?

Researchers Question Role
of Serotonin Deficiency in Depression

NPR reports on scientists who are questioning the widely believed cause-effect connection between low levels of serotonin and depression.
Tech & Tools
Allied Health CareersHelping Families With
Tech-Dependent Kids

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University found that mothers who successfully integrate the care of the technology-dependent child into family life have families that function better. Learn more »

With iPad, Teachers Improve
Classroom Lessons

A Wake Forest University researcher finds that an iPad isn’t needed for everyone in the classroom for students to benefit. Learn more »
Aging in America Conference Preview
Today's Diet & NutritionAging in America, the annual conference of the American Society on Aging (ASA), is planned for March 28 through April 1 in Washington, DC. With more than 3,000 attendees, it is recognized as a venue to explore programs and projects that benefit older adults, a forum for policy discussion and advocacy, and a key source of information on new research findings in aging. It is the largest gathering of a diverse, multidisciplinary community of professionals from the fields of aging, healthcare, and education.

Read more »