2008 Year-End Report • • •
2008 was a time of change for social work practice in aging. On the downside, SBW Partners witnessed cutbacks of many services for older adults and their families with agencies under fiscal pressures to “do more with less.” On the upside, we were able to participate in local and national efforts to make the most of the resources remaining.
In this year - end report we are pleased to offer a few highlights of 2008:
The Local Scene:
The New York City gerontological community was greatly affected by re-structuring of DFTA services in case management and home delivered meals programs. SBW partners was privileged to help agencies respond effectively to these initiatives.
An increase in the provision of frozen meals is seen as essential for more cost effective home delivered meals programs since daily delivery of meals could be significantly reduced. The key objection to the provision of frozen meals has been the belief that social isolation would ensue as elders missed daily contacts with the driver. Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services in Brooklyn and Queens asked SBW to pilot a small research study to pilot the use - by case managers - of a validated assessment tool that identifies clients at risk of social isolation. On a case by case basis, it is hoped that the assessment tool will help case managers determine if the daily delivery of hot meals is appropriate as well as the delivery of other services. On an aggregate basis, important data will be collected to inform program planning.
As case management agencies were consolidated, there was an increased need for skilled supervision of front-line staff. DFTA contracted with SBW Partners to provide supervisory training in early 2009. The expressed needs of new supervisors - such as help with management of time and tasks - has joined traditional content in shaping the curriculum.
In a related effort to enhance the capacity of case management supervisors, the Florence V. Burden Foundation funded SBW with a one-year grant for formation of a Network of Gerontological Social Work Practice Fellows. The purpose of the grant is twofold. First, it will provide Fellows - MSW social workers drawn from DFTA funded case management programs - with the cutting-edge gerontological knowledge and supervisory techniques needed to become Resident Trainers for front-line workers within their agencies. Second, it will enhance recruitment, retention, and status of MSWs in the field of aging through ongoing support and recognition. A new SBW affiliate - the Institute of Geriatric Social Work at Boston University - is providing participants with access to and a Certificate of Completion for 5 on-line courses. Their courses will be augmented by 5 days of in-person training by our nationally recognized faculty in the spring of 2009. A distinguished Advisory Council is guiding us in development and evaluation of this exciting project which we hope to extend nationally.
The National Scene:
SBW continued work with the Milwaukee based Alliance for Children and Families, a national umbrella organization for over 370 nonprofit human service agencies throughout the USA and Canada. Through its “New Age of Aging” initiative, member agencies that are rich in aging services mentor agencies that wish to develop or expand their aging services. We provided on-line and phone consultation to the mentor agencies and met with them twice in Milwaukee for training sessions and joint participation in a leadership conference.
Through the Alliance, SBW is active in the Executive Consultant Select Group - and has offered well received webinars in gerontological supervision and dementia. Partners and associates of SBW will build upon this good start by offering additional webinars in 2009.
The above - mentioned “Highlights” reflect what was new in 2008 and should not obscure our continuing activity on many fronts. This includes: individual consultation with older adults and their families, corporate workshops and review of publications for caregivers through Ceridian, and speaking and training engagements for a variety of agencies.