Incentivizing Students to Learn More About Gerontological Practice.

Enticing students to expand their knowledge of aging-related issues and careers can be fraught with challenges. Intrinsic and curricula-related factors associated with pursuit of aging-related careers have been identified, but little evidence exists demonstrating the effectiveness of external factors at motivating students to learn more about gerontological practice. This brief report presents findings from a survey of 214 students enrolled in at a single university in the mid-west to assess how likely they would be motivated to learn more about aging by twelve possible incentives with additional opportunities to write in other thoughts. Credit toward required field work, financial incentives such as stipends, scholarships, tuition waivers, and raffles were the most frequently mentioned incentives. Some variation was noted based on race/ethnicity, age, and program of study. Themes emerging from other suggestions provided by students included curricula enhancements, employment incentives, and the suggestion that nothing could entice some students. Findings can be used by scholars in program development and funding requests.

Perceived Readiness for Gerontological Social Work: Insights from Recent Graduates During COVID-19.

An online qualitative survey explored perceived training, readiness, and needs of recent SW graduates serving older adults. Over half (N = 14) held a master's in social work, with 70% having taken an introductory aging course. Nearly halfcompleted other aging-specific coursework, and 80% did fieldwork with older adults. Participants indicated moderate proficiency in assessing issues like lossestransitions (46.7%), and physical health (53.3%), and advanced expertise in cognitive assessments (60.0%) and caregiver stress management (53.3%). Training deficiencies were noted in disaster readiness, telehealth, and resource coordination. Findings underscore the need for educationfor early-career social workers, ensuring their effective support to older adults.

MSW Students' Perspectives on Learning and Delivering a Protocolized, Low-Intensity Transdiagnostic Psychological Intervention: Implications for Experiential Learning.

Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a protocolized, low-intensity, transdiagnostic psychological intervention designed to be delivered by lay individuals. Faculty at the University of South Florida School of Social Work recognized PM + as a potential psychological intervention for master's students to learn to complement their clinical coursework and simultaneously provide an experiential learning experience to support their clinical skills. Before this pilot, the feasibility and acceptability of integrating PM + into a Master of Social Work (MSW) setting were unknown. Upon analyzing the students' feedback using inductive content analysis, it is evident that experiential learning using interventions is crucial to building the self-efficacy of MSW students. Students reported that PM + helped their personal mental health and client interactions, using the tools they learned even a year after the pilot. Future research should focus on integrating PM + into experiential learning experiences within social work and allied academic settings and professions.

Practice Makes Perfect: MSW Students Reflect on Skill-Based Teaching Methods in Clinical Social Work Education.

In the current focus-group study, we consider student experiences with and perceptions of teaching methods that involve practice observation, demonstration, and performance assessment and feedback (i.e., skill-based teaching methods). Focus groups included masters of social work students (N = 40) from six universities in the United States. Students were, on average, 34 years of age (range 21 to 58) with 75% female, 20% male, and two non-binary students. Students identified as White (50%), Latinx/Latine (20%), Black (12.5%), and multi-racial (12.2%). A framework-guided content analysis was used, and revealed four broad themes: 1) classroom-based opportunities for practice observation and feedback, 2) field-based opportunities for practice observation and feedback, 3) other methods such as standardized patient simulations and computer simulations, and 4) attitudes about these methods. Experiences with these methods were quite diverse with classroom-based role plays being the most common. Attitudes were generally positive, though lack of authenticity and performance anxiety were perceived as drawbacks. Student reflections on their experiences yielded several teaching recommendations specific to preparation, the nature of the simulated client role, and feedback.

Social work research ethics in China: A scoping review of research involving human subjects during COVID-19.

As the first review to systematically explore the scope and application of Chinese social work research ethics, this study incorporated web-crawling technology in the scoping review process and identified 18 eligible studies from 1168 publications from January 2020 to July 2021. Findings suggest that social work scholars are aware of research ethics when conducting human subjects research in the Chinese population. Yet, many failed to fully demonstrate practical considerations of internationally accepted ethical principles (e.g. respect for persons). We discuss education on research ethics, new challenges of the digital age, and considerations of Chinese culture in developing ethical protocols for social work research in China.

Changes in social work students' attitudes and knowledge following opioid overdose prevention training.

Background: Opioid use disorders are widespread, commonly occurring, and have serious impacts on individuals, families, and communities. When adequately trained, social workers play a pivotal role in treating populations impacted by opioid use through the provision of high-quality services and the shifting of negative attitudes related to opioid use. However, workforce projections indicate a growing shortage of behavioral health professionals qualified to work with such populations and, presently, social work programs are not equipped to meet these workforce needs. Emerging evidence suggests opioid overdose education is associated with improved attitudes and knowledge among health professions; however, less information exists on the outcomes of such training among social work students. Schools of social work must develop and evaluate curricular components related to opioid use prevention and management to adequately prepare students for clinical work as social work practitioners. Methods: Thirty-three advanced-year MSW students received opioid overdose training as part of a day-long seminar on substance use. Content included acute effects of opioids, withdrawal symptoms, risk factors, signs of overdose, naloxone training, and harm reduction principles. Using a single-group pretest-posttest design, students completed the Opioid Overdose Attitudes Scale (OOAS) and the Opioid Overdose Knowledge Scale (OOKS). To evaluate students' attitudes and knowledge, investigators compared overall and subscale means before and after the training via paired samples t-tests. Results: Findings indicated statistically significant improvements in the "concerns" and "competence" domains of the OOAS. Likewise, findings indicated statistically significant improvements in the "risk," "signs," "action," and "naloxone use" domains of the OOKS. Conclusion: Students reported improved opioid overdose-related knowledge and attitudes when assessed after the training as compared to before the training. Due to the nature of the study design, causality cannot be inferred from the training outcomes. Findings may help other social work programs develop curricular components related to opioid use.

Defining self-disclosure of personal cancer coping experiences in oncology social workers' helping relationships: When cancer "hits home".

PURPOSE: Oncology social workers are increasingly finding themselves diagnosed with or caring for a loved one with cancer. Self-disclosure may be useful for building a therapeutic alliance. Yet, practice-informed guidelines for psychosocial oncology providers do not exist. RESEARCH APPROACH: Twenty-three psychosocial oncology providers diagnosed with and/or providing care to someone with cancer completed semi-structured interviews eliciting attitudes and utilization regarding self-disclosure. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH: Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using grounded theory's constant comparative method, researchers conducted open and theoretical coding. FINDINGS: Participants expressed consensus in defining, and reported a range of evolving practices regarding, self-disclosure. Recommendations for responsible self-disclosure included self-awareness, ongoing assessment, supervision, and enhanced educational programming. INTERPRETATION AND IMPLICATION: Therapeutic tools must evolve as core features of psychosocial oncology care. A flexible and context-specific framework for clinician self-disclosure related to personal experiences with cancer can guide oncology social work practice.

Education and Consultation Needs of Social Workers in Practice with Rural Older Adults.

The aging population and shortage of primary care physicians lead to increasing gaps in access to rural geriatric healthcare. Of concern is the lack of access to geriatric expertise, leading to adverse effects on rural older adults' health outcomes and quality of life. The Geriatric Rural Extension of Expertise through Telegeriatric Services (also known as GREETS) project surveyed rural physical and behavioral healthcare practitioners to identify gaps in geriatric competencies in the rural workforce. Using the Qualtrics platform, a survey was distributed to professional membership lists throughout the State of Michigan. A total of 106 responses were completed, of which 50 were from respondents who identified their profession as a social worker. As would be expected based on social workers' scope of practice and the settings in which they provide services, social worker respondents noted a higher need than the other practitioner respondents for education related to (a) managing chronic pain, (b) managing care of patients with multiple chronic conditions, (c) having serious illness conversations, (d) diagnosing dementia, and (e) discussing advance care planning. Having identified these needs provides a basis for identifying and implementing training and resources for social work and other disciplines involved in geriatric care and services.

Critical Reflections From Doctoral Students Engaging in Local and Transnational Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Approaches to Health Promotion.

Social work scholars have increasingly adopted Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approaches to center community voice in research and action to promote youth's healthy development. While valuable contributions have emerged to engage in further dialectical learning processes, limited research has examined in depth the participation, critical reflection, and training of social work graduate students pursuing CBPR. This article emphasizes the role of critical reflexivity and collaboration by presenting four social work doctoral students' efforts designed to engage community and youth in CBPR to enhance health promotion initiatives. We conclude by discussing the importance of engaging graduate social work students in CBPR, the influential role faculty and mentors play in providing opportunities for students to gain experience in CBPR, and recommendations and potential strategies for future social work education and training.

Factors Associated With Attitudes Toward Older Adults in Social Work Students: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review examined the factors associated with social work students' attitudes toward older adults or working with older adults from the literature published in the last decade. Twelve peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2011 and 2020 were included for review. Results suggest that both direct and indirect exposures to older adults positively changed social work students' attitudes. While infusing exposure to older adults into courses appeared effective in modifying students' attitudes, inconsistent measurement and lack of information across studies made it impossible to compare the effectiveness of interventions across studies. Implications for gerontological social work education are discussed.

"Please Don't Let Academia Forget about Us:" An Exploration of Nursing Home Social Work Experiences during COVID-19.

Nursing home social workers are on the frontlines during COVID-19 responding to individual resident needs, the needs of staff, and larger health needs of the nursing home. However, it is unclear whether nursing home social workers feel adequately trained and prepared in responding to disasters, such as COVID-19. To explore this, we used a study cross-sectional survey distributed via social media focusing on 1) prior training on disaster preparedness, 2) any content social workers wish had been a part of their education, and 3) suggestions for educators/academics to serve social workers on the frontlines. Data in this study are based on a sample of 63 (N=63) nursing home social workers. Demographic data were analyzed using SPSS and qualitative data were analyzed using the RaDar (rigorous and accelerated data reduction) technique. Findings revealed that most social workers had little to no training in disaster preparedness, and shared areas of future education initiatives. Participants also shared the need for bridging the research to practice gap through open access articles and support from academics. Findings from the present study reveal areas social work programs can expand gerontology-focused course offerings. Additionally, developments promoting practitioner support from academics is worth consideration.

Current and Future Needs of Gerontological Social Work Practice in Alberta: Findings from the World Café at the Gerontological Symposium in Edmonton, Canada.

The growing aging population in Canada has multi-faceted psycho-social needs. Social workers are well-positioned to address these needs, despite many challenges. This paper reports findings from the World Café at the Gerontology Symposium in Alberta, Canada, held in 2018. The goal was to learn from social work practitioners, researchers, and educators (N = 49) about current and future needs of gerontological social work in Alberta. There were two research questions: 1) What strategies do social workers need on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels to help better serve the growing older adult population in Alberta? (R1) 2) How can social workers promote the value and contribution of gerontological social work within the interprofessional community? (R2) The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Ten R1-related themes emerged: personal traits of a social worker; professional skills; bio-psycho-social needs of older adults; community connections; access to benefits; gerontological social work education; integrated healthcare; aging policy; ageism; and advocacy to strengthen the voice of older adults. The three R2-related themes include strengthening the status of the social work profession; building trust through demonstrated skills; and interprofessional education and practice.

Rising above the Flood: A Systematic Review of Gerontological Social Work in Disaster Preparedness and Response.

Physical/cognitive limitations associated with the aging process place older adults at disproportionate risk of negative consequences during disasters. Guided by the profession's commitment to supporting vulnerable populations, gerontological social workers have long been on the frontlines supporting older adults during disasters. Yet, disaster social work practice remains an undeveloped and under-researched area. Thus, we asked "what is the current role of gerontological social workers in disaster preparedness with older adults in the United States, and potential areas for improvement?" This paper systematically reviews the literature discussing social work and disaster preparedness/response with older adults in the U.S., to identify needs and inform future directions. PRISMA guidelines were followed to conduct a systematic search across relevant databases for peer-reviewed-publications between January 1, 2009-June 12, 2020. Eleven articles met inclusion criteria. This body of literature is small and covers two broad areas: (1) charging the social work profession to engage in this work, and (2) describing current efforts and unique challenges of older adults during disasters. Only three empirical studies were identified. Future educational efforts should formalize training to prepare social workers for this practice area. Research should detail the roles of social workers in disaster preparedness/response, and factors that predict involvement.

Social Work Competencies in an Academic Medical Center: The Case of Singapore Health Services.

In 2014, the Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), an academic medical center, implemented a dual-level competency framework for medical social workers; it comprises 23 behavioral descriptors and six competency clusters at the general level and 30 behavioral descriptors and six competency clusters at the advanced level. This study adopted a qualitative approach to explore the experience among medical social workers with supervisory roles in the implementation of this competency framework. Findings showed that implementation of the competency framework lifted professional standards and image of the profession. The competency framework also helped foster stronger networks, trust, and partnerships among SingHealth organizations. Contextual features that influenced its implementation were as follows: workforce capacity and capability, management support, opportunities, training road maps, and staff's personal life stage. Operationalizing terms used in the competency framework and specifying the validity period of each competency domain within the framework were found to be crucial to its implementation.

Mentoring Social Work PhD Students to Help Re-imagine Long-term Care.

This commentary explores the role of mentoring in creating the next generation of gerontological social work scholars through examining the mentoring of Dr. Rosalie Kane. We review how Rosalie exemplified some of key characteristics of an exceptional academic mentor based on communications with many of her former mentees, provide an account of her last formal mentoring relationship with a graduate student, and discuss how Rosalie's mentorship related to her hopes for re-imagining long-term care and the future of gerontological social work.

The Importance of Ascertaining Participant Preferences: The Importance of What Is Important.

Rosalie Kane made major contributions to research on ascertaining personal preferences. Her work influenced others and was part of a growing movement to place high priority on the voice and subjective experience of people who live with Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS). This essay summarizes some highlights of Rosalie's research, and traces the idea of incorporating participant preferences through different programs, policies and measurement tools over the past three decades. The current policy environment takes as paramount the notion that participants in LTSS programs should have an active role in planning their own care. While language supporting preferences is not new, the technology to effectively and efficiently elicit preferences is relatively recent. Key milestones in the development of these policies are reviewed. Rosalie's influence on generations of researchers and policy makers cannot be understated. She challenged colleagues, state program agencies and program directors to consider "the art of the possible," pushing them to explore how LTSS could fully support the dignity, independence and autonomy of every participant. A remaining challenge for researchers, policy makers and program managers is to move beyond incorporating preferences and choices as outcomes, and develop methods to accountably and reliably measure and incorporate individual goals of care into LTSS care plans. As LTSS continues to shift more and more into home and community-based settings, the quality of care and the quality of life for people who rely on those services will demand more subtle and individualized measures of processes and outcomes.

Rosalie Kane: Honoring Her Contributions to the Development of Assisted Living.

This article reflects on the foundational contributions of Rosalie A. Kane to the rise of assisted living in the 1980s and 90s. The author, called the founder of the "Oregon model of assisted living," offers an insider's perspective of how Dr. Kane's insights - and personality-inspired a shift in the options for long term care from a model based on safety and medical treatment to one based on personal choice and independence. Along the way, the article offers an example of how sustained dialogue between theory and practice can spark concrete change. The article also assesses the personality traits that made Rosalie Kane a gifted collaborator and a generator of ideas that reached beyond the academy into real life. A brief glance at Dr. Kane's unfinished agenda speaks to her vision for today's gerontologists and social workers.

Generation Z Undergraduate Social Work Students' Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Older Persons: Implications for Professional Training.

Appropriate gerontological social work services are, amongst others, dependent on social workers' knowledge of and attitudes toward older persons. The current cohort of students, known as Generation Z, are global citizens. This study determined and described South African undergraduate social work students' knowledge of and attitudes toward older persons. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with B Social Work students (N = 395) at two universities. Data collection included the three scales of Palmore's First Facts of Aging Quiz in multiple-choice format (1996) and four scales of Fraboni's Scale of Agism (1990). Age and five categorical factors were considered to determine their simultaneous impact on each of the seven scales/subscales of the two instruments by performing multi-way ANOVA models. An unexpected finding was that the factor 'completed a course in gerontology' did not have any impact on any scale. Year level of study, area of childhood residence and consideration to work exclusively with older persons after graduation simultaneously impacted respondents' 'overall attitude' toward older persons. Two factors (i.e., year level of study and area of childhood residence) mutually impacted respondents' 'overall knowledge' of aging. Recommendations for the training of Generation Z students are offered concerning course content and pedagogical interventions.

Social work practice education and training during the pandemic: Disruptions and discoveries.

The COVID-19 pandemic evoked a disruption to social work (SW) practice education and this brief note describes discoveries made in teaching SW practice virtually. One example is Virtual Practice Fridays, adapted to build SW practice competencies online, and another example is a re-designed course on cross-cultural SW practice using simulation-based learning.

The state of substance use education in Master of Social Work programs: A content analysis of course listings and faculty profiles.

Background: Substance use is currently a pervasive problem among a large proportion of populations served by the social work profession. Several studies have indicated that social workers routinely provide services to clients with direct and indirect substance use needs, making knowledge of substance use interventions and public policies a necessity for social workers to operate effectively in the field. However, despite the regularity of interaction with substance using clients, previous research has suggested that a significant deficit of substance use education currently exists in Master of Social Work (MSW) programs. Methods: To determine the extent of substance use education currently offered by master's-level schools of social work, a content analysis of course listings and full-time faculty profiles was performed on all Council on Social Work Education-accredited programs in the United States (N = 263). The goals of the content analysis were (1) to identify the current prevalence and content of substance use education offered to entire cohorts of MSW students at the national and programmatic levels and (2) to examine the capacity of the full-time MSW faculty workforce to deliver substance use education to MSW students in individual programs. Results: The results of the analyses showed that a significant deficit of formal substance use education does exist in the field of social work education, and that a large proportion of programs lack the faculty personnel necessary to sufficiently offer substance use education to their students. Conclusions: The social work profession needs to make a concerted effort to improve substance use education if social work is to ethically and effectively remain at the forefront of mental health practice in the United States.