The Role of Geriatric Social Workers - Research Proposal Example

Elder Abuse: The Role of Geriatric Social Workers of the Sociology of the Concerned 25 January Table of Contents 0 Introduction ............................................................................................ 3 2.0 Background and Rationale for the Study ............................................. 3 3.0 Research Question ............................................................................... 6 4.0 Aims and Objectives ................................................................................. 6 5.0 Literature Search Study .......................................................................... 6 6.0 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................. 7 7.0 Project Outline ........................................................................................ 7 8.0 Project Timeline ...................................................................................... 8 Reference List ................................................................................................ 10 1.0 Introduction There is no denying the fact that after spending a fulfilling and successful life, every elderly person does desire to be respected and cherished by one’s family and the society in which one lives. However, it is a verified fact that hundreds of elderly individuals are exploited, abused and neglected every year (Turner 2009, p. 115). The irony is that the elderly people being in a phase of life when they are no more physically and mentally capable of resisting the abuse inflicted on them by their family members or the members of the society do depend on others to protect and save them from the instances of elder abuse (Turner 2009, p. 115). Many a times the abusers are either men or women within the family, or may be the family friends and the people that are trusted by the family. Elderly abuse may be any type of abuse that is physical, emotional, sexual abuse that is inflicted on an elderly person (Turner 2009). Besides, these types of abuse, elderly abuse also include instances of neglect, abandonment or exploitation of the elderly people (Turner 2009). Considering the traumatic nature of elderly abuse, the role of a geriatric social worker could be of immense importance in such scenarios. This research paper intends to analyze as to whether the geriatric social workers could play an important role in dealing with the instance of elder abuse, and the ways geriatric social workers could intervene in situations of elder abuse? 2.0 Background and Rationale for the Study Elder abuse is a serious social problem that needs to be addressed by all the individuals and groups that come in contact with the elderly and are associated with them either in the role of a care giver or in any other role (Bergeron & Gray 2003). Instances of elder abuse do occur frequently in the society that renders the elderly people utterly helpless and vulnerable. In its scope, elder abuse happens to be really traumatic for an individual (Matthias & Benjamin 2003). Thereby, access to proper care and protection is of immense importance for the victims of elderly abuse. In that context the statistics facilitated by a 2007 study conducted by the National Centre for Social Research could really help one grasp the extent and pervasiveness of elder abuse. As per this study, almost 2.6 percent of the elderly people aged 66 or above reported being abused by a family member, care giver or some trusted friend (O’Keeffe et al. 2007). This statistics translates into roughly 227,000 elderly people aged 66 or above that have been victims of elder abuse (O’Keeffe et al. 2007). As per this study if one extends the scope of these stats to include the elderly people who were abused by their acquaintances or neighbours as well, this figure expands to an intimidating 4 percent that is a total of 342,000 elderly people who were abused or mistreated in the society (O’Keeffe et al. 2007). This study also evinced that elderly abuse affiliates to a range of mistreatment of the elderly that are physical and sexual abuse, financial abuse, psychological abuse and instances of neglect and abandonment (O’Keeffe et al. 2007). Going by these statistics, there is no denying the fact that elder abuse is a grave social problem and the salient stakeholders involved in the care of the elderly like the caregivers, medical professionals and geriatric social workers could play an important role in reporting, addressing and preventing the instances of elder abuse (Anetzberger 2008). In that context since the geriatric social workers are directly involved in the care and promotion of well being of the elderly, they could perhaps play an important role in addressing this social problem (Anetzberger 2008). As many a times the elderly people are not in a position to report the abuse being inflicted on them, geriatric social workers could play a pivotal role in the identification and detection of the instances of elder abuse (Lachs & Pillemer 2004). For instance the geriatric social workers could identify and report the instances of elder abuse by detecting the tell tale signs of elder abuse like living in isolation and an absence of contact with the family, bruises and injuries on the body of the elderly that could not be explained, emergence of emotional issues like depression, mood swings or fatigue, or an inability to buy food or medicines or pay bills on time (Viviene 2005, p. 45). It is a fact that geriatric social workers by the nature of their job do command the faith and trust of the elderly people they serve and care for. Hence the geriatric workers can detect the instances of elder abuse by asking non-judgemental questions in a confidential setting to the elderly people they suspect of being abused (Gitterman 2004, p. 439). Many a times the elderly people who are being abused may choose to confide in the geriatric social worker they are close to. Thereby, geriatric social workers are many a time in the position to identify and report the instances of elder abuse (Gitterman 2004). The other way the social workers can ameliorate the instances of elderly abuse is by getting involved in the range of agencies, institutions and mechanisms that tend to focus on the issue of elder abuse and providing timely help to the elderly people who are being abused (Gambrill 2006, p. 49). Social workers can also serve this cause by enhancing the public awareness regarding the issue of elderly abuse and informing people as to how they can help the concerned agencies in dealing with this issue (Gambrill 2006). Thereby, considering the fact that the geriatric social workers do have a range of opportunities and instances at their disposal that they can use to detect and report the instances of elder abuse, this research is of immense importance as it intends to study the ways and means through which the geriatric social workers could play an important role in addressing the social evil of elder abuse. This research is also of immense academic relevance in the sense that it could suggest the appropriate changes in the social work education that could further help the geriatric social workers to collaborate with multiple service systems aimed at identifying and reporting the instances of elder abuse. 3.0 Research Question This research intends to address the following research question: Can the geriatric social workers play a multi faceted and salient role in ameliorating the situation of elder abuse being faced by the elderly people who are directly under their care or with whom they come in contact in the course of their profession? 4.0 Aims and Objectives This research has the following aims and objectives: To study the role played by geriatric social workers in redressing the instances of elder abuse. To study as to how the geriatric social workers can collaborate with a range of agencies and organizations dealing with the issue of elder abuse. To suggest as to what changes can be made in the social work curriculum to make the geriatric social workers more capable of dealing with elder abuse. 5.0 Literature Search Study This research will affiliate to a qualitative approach that will rely on the analysis of the available secondary sources. This research will have to pivotal phases of investigation: 1) Literature Review: The needed literature will be reviewed from a range of textual and online sources that are published books, academic journal articles, reports and research studies and newspaper and magazine articles. The relevant secondary online sources will also be traced by using Google. The accessible libraries will also be taken into consideration while searching the apt secondary sources. Cooperation of the associated library experts and administrators will be solicited to identify and research the requisite secondary sources. Key Words used in Literature Research: Elderly, Geriatric Social workers, Elder Abuse, Elder Neglect, Elder Exploitation, Social Workers Though this literature review will rely only on the credible academic sources, still it will take cognizance of the purposes, motives and biases emanating from varied academic views on the issue under consideration (Stewart & Kamins 2000). The research will rely only on the academic sources published in the last 5 years to facilitate an up to date understanding of the topic. 2) Theoretical Engagement: After gaining an insight into the varied dimensions of the research question under consideration through a study and analysis of the reviewed secondary sources, the research will engage in a critical manner with the topic being considered to facilitate a multi-dimensional and multi-faceted understanding of the topic. 6.0 Ethical Considerations Going by the fact that this research is qualitative in it scope, relying on the analysis of the available secondary sources, it will take into consideration the ethical requisites like to shun any possibility of deception or misrepresentation while quoting the opinion of other scholars and important stakeholders associated with the issue (Mauthner et al. 2007). The research will strictly stay away from unethical practices like attributing specific information and opinions to the wrong individuals and organizations, misinterpreting information culled out from an academic source and misquoting the researched academic sources (Mauthner et al. 2007). 7.0 Project Outline Chapter 1 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background Rationale 1.2 Literature Search Strategy 1.3 Ethical Consideration 1.4 Project Outline Chapter 2 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Prevalence of Elder Abuse 2.2 Types of Mistreatment 2.3 Role of the Geriatric Social Workers 2.4 Geriatric Social Workers and Elder Abuse 2.5 Salient Roles of the Geriatric Social Workers in Addressing Elder Abuse Chapter 3 3.0 Theoretical Engagement 3.1 An Analysis of the Varied Salient Aspects Imminent in the Researched Literature 3.2 Suggestions- Role that the Geriatric Social Workers could play 3.3Reflection Chapter 4 4.1 Summary of the Research Findings 4.2 Conclusions 4.3 Recommendations 8.0 Project Timetable Refining the Research Question January Searching and Researching the Relevant Textual and Online Sources January-February Planning the Research Thesis January-February Writing the Research Thesis February-March Soliciting Supervision Sessions and Feedback February-March Editing and Proofreading March Submitting the Thesis April Reference List Anetzberger, GJ 2008, The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse, The Haworth Press, London. Bergeron, LR & Gray, B 2003, ‘Ethical Dilemmas of Reporting Suspected Elder Abuse’, Social Work, Vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 96-100. Gitterman, A 2004, Handbook of Social Work Practice with Vulnerable and Resilient Populations, Columbia University Press, New York. Lachs, MS & Pillemer, K 2008, ‘Elder Abuse’, The Lancet, Issue 364, pp. 1192-1263. Matthias, RE & Benjamin, AR 2003, ‘Abuse and Neglect of Clients in Agency-Based and Consumer-Directed Home Care’, Health and Social Work, Vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 174-179. Mauthner, M, Birch, M Jessop, J & Miller, T 2007, Ethics in Qualitative Research, SAGE, London. O’Keeffe, M, Hills, A, Doyle, M, McCreadie, S, S, Constantine, R, Tinker, A, Manthorpe, J, Biggs, S & Erens, B 2007, UK Study of Abuse and Neglect of Older People: Prevalence Survey Report, Prepared for Comic Relief and the Department of Health, London. Stewart, DW & Kamins, MA 2000, Secondary Research, SAGE, London. Turner, FJ 2009, Canadian Encyclopaedia of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University Press, Waterloo, Ont. Viviene, EC 2005, Sociology for Social Workers and Probation Officers, Routledge, London. Read More