Zhongguo quanke yixue (May 2024)
How Can Macro Social Work Better Engage in Geriatric Health Services?
Abstract
Background As aging increases, geriatric health expectations and needs for social work profession and its services increase. Current social work engage in geriatric health services still focuses on micro-level changes for clients, but macro-level services such as promoting environmental change and advocating for policies are insufficient, that is the research from macro social work perspective is weak. Objective We explore the model and practice of macro social work in the field of geriatric health and provide a scientific basis and analysis for its engagement in geriatric health services through doctrinal analysis and field research. Methods From March to July 2021, the researcher entered the J social work professional organisation in Shanghai to conduct a field study, and the empirical data were mainly collected through two methods: participatory observation and semi-structured interview. The research subjects were selected based on the principle of purposive sampling. A total of 21 research participants were interviewed, including 5 agency administrators and social workers, 16 cognitive disorder patients in Shanghai. The interview outline was formulated based on the theory of development of social policy and welfare social division of labor. The typology method was used to categorise the clinical and macro practices of social workers in geriatric health services. NVivo 11 software was used to code and classify the interview contents, combining theoretical and empirical data to explore macro social work practices in geriatric health services. Results A total of 21 people with cognitive disorders were interviewed, including both providers and users of geriatric health services. Understanding the values of macro social work, understanding the issues and service populations, promoting change in the community as a field, and changing the systems approach with health policy and welfare can provide accurate systems services for the elderly, enrich macro social work services, and contribute to changes in the geriatric health service environment. Conclusion Macro social work can promote and change the environment to provide better well-being for elderly health. The development of health social work requires the synergistic development of various sectors, such as the National Health Commission and the National Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the convergence of the wisdom of clinical social work and macro social work in geriatric health services. This will jointly promote the quality development of geriatric health services.
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