The Future of Social Work in Aging: “Everything Old is New Again”

Abstract

With the aging of the baby boom generation, the number of older adults in the US will increase substantially. Using a biopsychosocial framework, this article presents cutting-edge of older adulthood and considers emerging roles of social workers with older adults and their families. Research, education, and policy perspectives that will advance social work knowledge, skills and resources in aging are proposed. Social work as a profession is challenged to lead the way in making “everything old new again.”

Keywords

• Future of aging
• social work with older adults
• geriatric social work