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One of the more recent revelations in health care research is the finding of substance misuse, specifically alcohol among older adults. Researchers are beginning to explore this area, and this month’s E-News Exclusive reports on some surprising findings, gaps in treatment, and areas where social workers can intervene.
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— Marianne Mallon, editor |
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Filling Efficacy Gaps in Older Adult Alcohol Use and Treatment Research
By Sue Coyle, MSW
Discussions of health tend to focus on the physical. Mental health only comes into play when that key word is added, and substance use is often a completely separate topic. In fact, only recently has society begun to seriously consider substance use a health issue.
As a result, services are more likely to be delivered in silos, with individuals seeking and receiving separate care for each concern—even when those concerns are overlapping. There are, of course, exceptions, but exceptions are not the norm.
Additionally, many treatment models and other services may be delivered to the individual but are designed for the general population—a population that is anything but uniform. This creates efficacy gaps for certain groups. Clients are done a disservice; the best possible care may not be offered or provided to all.
Fortunately, professionals throughout all health fields, including social work, are establishing where these gaps exist and what can be done to offer more coordinated inclusive care.
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Each year, Social Work Today magazine salutes dedicated and deserving social workers from various career paths with our Dedicated & Deserving Social Worker feature. Once again we will select and honor 10 professionals nominated by their colleagues and/or coworkers who are our readers.
Nomination Criteria:
- A social worker who has gone above and beyond his or her job description to make an extraordinary difference for his or her clients, community, or employer.
- A social worker who, over time, has achieved a exceptional standard of excellence in the field.
- A social worker who has overcome significant challenges in his or her career, risen to new heights of success, and had an outstanding positive impact on others.
- Nominees must have at minimum a bachelor's or master's degree in social work.
- Nomination essays must not exceed 1,000 characters.
Nominations must be submitted by Monday, October 2, 2017.
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New Technology Standards Guide Social Work Practice and Education
Revised standards help social workers and students navigate the brave new world of tweets and texts. Read more »
International Experiences Promote Social Justice and Benefit Your Practice
The NASW International Committee encourages social workers to have an international experience to open their eyes to other cultures and inform their practice. Read more » |
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New Technology Aims to Provide Peace and Positive Stimulation to Dementia Patients
Many people living with dementia reside in long term care facilities, where the lack of stimulation can result in behaviors such as hitting, screaming, and wandering. Common measures to avoid such “responsive” behaviors, such as antipsychotic medications and personalized recreational and music therapy programs, can cause adverse health effects in the former case and be difficult for staff to find time to carry out in the latter case.
A team of human factors/ergonomics researchers helped to evaluate and refine “Ambient Activity” (AA) interactive tools designed to augment existing programs and activities by alleviating boredom and increasing engagement.
The team evaluating the effectiveness of AA units for managing behavior in people with dementia is being led by Andrea Wilkinson, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Toronto. The work was recently presented at the 2017 International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, held in March in New Orleans. “Ambient Activity Technologies for Managing Responsive Behaviors in Dementia” was recently published in the online proceedings of the symposium.
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