Ways in which you will personally apply the concepts addressed.

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Following the REFLECTIONS template posted on Bb, submit a maximum of two double-spaced pages addressing the requirements of the prompt and template. Make sure all headings are complete and in place per the template.

The assignment requires you to consider various personal responses in the context of the overall course experience.  Include the following components:

● A concise summary of course content that stood out for you during each major section of the course;

● A mindful explanation of why that content is meaningful to you personally and/or to society in general;

● Anything from the course material that took you by surprise;

● Ways in which you will personally apply the concepts addressed.

Sociological Aspects of Later Adulthood

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Sociological Aspects of Later Adulthood

Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman (2016) refer to adults in later adulthood as “a population at risk” (p. 717). Why are individuals in later adulthood a vulnerable population? What role might social work play in addressing the needs of this population?

This week, you consider factors that impact the vulnerability of individuals in later adulthood, including differing cultural perspectives of older individuals and consider ways to increase support for this population in your local community.

Learning Objectives

Students will:
  • Analyze sociocultural differences in perspectives on aging
  • Apply perspectives on aging to social work practice
  • Evaluate local community resources for older individuals

Photo Credit: vm / E+ / Getty Images

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.
Chapter 16, “Sociological Aspects of Later Adulthood”

Optional Resources

Use the link below to access the MSW home page, which provides resources for your social work program.
MSW home page

Tucker-Seeley, R. D., Li, Y., Sorensen, G., & Subramanian, S. V. (2011). Lifecourse socioeconomic circumstances and multimorbidity among older adults. BMC Public Health, 11(4), 313–321.

Discussion: Sociocultural Differences in Perspectives on Aging

Western cultures think of time in linear terms while other cultures perceive the passage of time in cyclical terms (Helman, 2005). Helman states, “The clock, the watch and the calendar are among the main cultural symbols of Western industrial society” (para. 3). How might a culture’s perception of time influence views of individuals in later adulthood? What other cultural differences might impact a people’s view of aging? This week, you explore different cultures’ perspectives on aging and consider how these differences might impact social work.

To prepare for this Discussion, research two cultures different from your own and compare their perspectives on aging to that of your own culture.

By Day 3

Post a Discussion that compares your culture’s perspective on aging to the perspectives of the two cultures you researched. Explain why you think these differences exist. Also, explain how different perspectives on aging might impact social work practice.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts.

By Day 5

Respond to at least two colleagues who addressed cultures that are different from the ones you addressed. Share an insight from reading your colleagues’ postings. Describe how you might incorporate the cultural perspectives on aging described by your colleagues into your own social work practice.

Be sure to support your responses with specific references to the resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references.

Assignment: Community Resources for Older Individuals

Volunteers and political officials in local communities often campaign to improve conditions and provide services to increase the well-being of individuals and families living in those communities. If you are the parent of young children, you might focus on improving the local school or creating safe places where children can play. If you are an individual in later adulthood or a caregiver for an individual in later adulthood, what community resources might be important to you? For this week’s Assignment, you evaluate the resources that your local community provides for its older members.

To prepare for this Assignment, research the resources available in your local community to support the issues and concerns of the older population. Note any gaps in these services and consider what improvements might be made to existing services as well as what services should be added.

By Day 7

Submit a 2- to 4-page paper that includes the following:

  • A description of the services in your local community that support individuals in later adulthood
  • An evaluation of the effectiveness of the services you identified
  • A description of service gaps you identified
  • An explanation of how to improve existing services
  • A description of services that should be added, and why

Colleague Responses

michelle washington

My Culture’s Perspective on Aging

Western U.S cultures are more focused on youthfulness. Taking responsibility for aging adults is less common (“How the elderly is treated around the world,” 2013). Ageism exist in every culture but in my opinion there is a more commonality of ageism among Western Culture. Ageism is the stereotyping and mistreatment of older individuals. The differences in my opinion exist because of the lack thereof about the importance of family bonds and respect for the elderly. In Western culture is normal for families to not talk or see each other often. In many cultures and other countries that is just unacceptable. The emphasis on family units are practiced even from a government point of view.

Cultures treatment of aging adults

In Chinese, Japanese and Korean cultures older people are among the most highly respected citizens. In China they have created a law titled “Elderly Rights Law”.  This law ensures that elderly people are visited by their children often if they have them. The law requires children to abandon their elderly parents no matter how far apart the may live(“How the elderly are treated around the world,” 2013). If the law isn’t followed there may even be a possible consequence such as a fine or possibly jail time (“How the elderly is treated around the world,” 2013). Historically China for example has been a family-oriented country where families are tight knit and the elderly are highly honored and respected (“How the elderly are treated around the world,” 2013). Japan like China are historically known for the respect and honor they show older people. In Korea reaching certain age are considered pristine and is openly celebrated (“How the elderly is treated around the world,” 2013). In Japanese traditions just as in Chinese culture the general assumption is when individuals began to age parent and children’s roles will begin to change (“How the elderly are treated around the world,” 2013). The expectation is for the children to take care of his or her parent which in these cultures is an honorable (“How the elderly is treated around the world,” 2013). Like Chinese and Japanese cultures Korean culture had the same values and traditions regarding the elderly.

Why do differences exist and impact on social work?

In terms of differences there may be multiple reasons why and how aging is viewed and carried out. The economy is one issue that comes to mind. Homelessness is another one. Some cultures strive on making sure their citizens have the necessary resources to survive. In my opinion in western cultures there is more lack of respect for the aging. Aging is viewed as a burden not a blessing. Aging is looked at an inconvenience and role reversal between parents and children are in existence as frequently. However, sometimes children are not in the position to take care of aging individuals. They might be struggling just to take care of themselves or others. In my opinion value and traditions also play a role in how cultures treat aging adults. In some cultures, expectations to take care of family starts at birth and through some individuals lives they see multiple generations taking care and caring about the well-being of those who are aging.  Different perspectives are good when you are working to help someone become more successful but there can also be challenges associated with different perspectives. Different perspectives might make some issues harder to resolve.

Kate Fullmer RE: Discussion – 

I identify as an American and citizen of the United States. I feel that American society fears the aging process. This is proven by individuals in the United States getting cosmetic surgery such as face lifts, breast augmentation, and liposuction. Youth is placed on a pedestal in American Society, and it seems that a great deal of people are attempting to stay forever young through such cosmetic surgeries and many other available options to slow the aging process. Americans tend to fear the deterioration of their looks and their bodies. (www.hcrhomehealth.com) With the fear of aging in America, comes the thought process of no longer being useful. As a result of these thoughts that come from the stereotypes and stigma of aging, individuals may give up on taking care of themselves and staying healthy and active. (www.hcrhomehealth.com)

In researching the Japanese culture and the aging perspective, it seems to differ from that of American culture. In Japan, old age is viewed as a “rebirth, ” after a very busy time of raising children and working. This time period of life is socially viewed to be very valuable. (www.nextavenue.org). In researching the African-American culture, aging is embraced and viewed as a reward. In African-American culture, death is viewed as natural which decreases the cultural fear regarding aging. (https://journals.sagepub.com). I feel these differences in views exist due to the society a person is a part of as well as their culture and the manner in which an individual is raised. These factors all play a role in how a person views the aging process.

How different perspectives on aging might impact social work practice: Depending on the individual’s culture, the social worker may think differently regarding which resources and services to provide, The individual will need to be assessed and cultural competence will need to be practiced to enable the social worker to reduce barriers.

Discussion Post On Bullying

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APA Format. Use References. Masters Level.

Bearing witness to trauma has its own set of consequences. Watching repeated episodes of bullying can evoke strong emotional and behavioral responses from an adolescent. During the impressionable stage of social development in adolescents, these experiences can contribute to a change in perception about the ways people should and do treat each other. Furthermore, ongoing exposure to this behavior can jeopardize an adolescent’s healthy social development. For this Discussion, consider how the act of bullying experienced by one adolescent may change the experience of another who witnesses it.

  1. Post a scenario that illustrates how bullying experienced by one adolescent may change the experience of another who witnesses it.
  2. Then address the availability of any social work intervention, skill, or practice that might change this cycle of events.

REFERENCES

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.

  • Chapter 8 (pp. 376-422)

 

Jenkins, L. N., Demaray, M. K., & Tennant, J. (2017). Social, emotional, and cognitive factors associated with bullying. School Psychology Review, 46(1), 42–64.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Overcoming Challenges To Working With Life Transition And Developmental Issues

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You bring your own couple and family experiences that may enrich or detract from your success as a couple and family practitioner. Contextualize these issues within your professional practice, and think about how your experience might impact your work with clients. Consider whether there are issues you might find challenging to work with because of your personal history, values, or beliefs, and then reflect on how you might address these challenges.

For this Discussion, you will examine your personal experiences and the challenges you might encounter when working with life transition and developmental issues as a couple and family practitioner.

A brief description of the life transition or developmental issue you find most challenging to work with and explain why this issue is challenging for you. Then, explain professional development steps you might take to overcome this challenge.

Depression And Suicide

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When working with adolescents you will likely be faced with issues of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation and even attempts. For youth between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). It is essential to understand the risks associated with teen suicide and intervention strategies to address this issue.

Post a review of the literature on adolescent depression and suicide and identify an evidence-based intervention that addresses these issues. Then, apply that intervention to either the Brady or Tiffani case. Describe the possible risk factors the client presents that would make him or her at risk for depression and suicide. Then, plan an intervention for that client to address these issues.

Medical Social Work In Chronic Illness Care And Management

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Advances in medical technology have altered the trajectory of illness in our society. Many illnesses that were once considered acute or terminal are now considered chronic. The trajectory of advanced chronic illness, thus, has shifted from a brief period of time to longer periods with impaired quality of life. Patients and/or families living with chronic illnesses are often forced to adjust their aspirations and lifestyle. They also are vulnerable to protracted distress and developing psychiatric illness.

Optimal care and management of chronic illness is significant because it is likely to minimize distress, prevent psychiatric illness, and improve health outcomes and quality of life (Wagner, 2000). A professional team including a medical social worker can deliver optimal care for chronic illness (Wagner, 2013).

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review this week’s resources. Consider a chronic illness that is of interest to you. Think about how the following medical social work practice skills might apply to the illness you chose:

· Assessment

· Crisis intervention

· Case management

· Education and counseling

· Advocacy

· Team collaboration

· Community-level intervention

Assignment

Post a brief description of the illness you selected and the psychosocial effects of the illness on patients and families. Analyze the issues and concerns surrounding the care and management of the illness. Choose three medical social work practice skills, and explain how a medical social worker might implement them to improve the care and management of the illness. Explain challenges that might arise for families or caregivers caring for a patient with your chosen illness. Explain how you as a medical social worker might address the struggles or challenges experienced by families or caregivers.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the resources and the current literature using appropriate APA format and style.

How have societal attitudes about sex roles and gender influenced a relationship

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How have societal attitudes about sex roles and gender influenced a relationship that you have, have been in, or are familiar with? Consider using the construct sets of “growing up masculine” or “growing up feminine” from the text. You may analyze romantic relationships, but may also choose to observe family dynamics, friendships, or work relationships as well.  Do these relational partners have shared ideas of gendered behaviors and attitudes, or are there distinctly different expectations? How are these communicated in the relationship? What models of gender did/do the relational partners (lovers, friends, family members, coworkers) have as influences? How is your (or their) cultural background a factor?

SSCI 316 Homework Question #10

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  1. Name and define the four levels of change that are necessary to achieve racial democracy.
  2. What is the problem with an individual asserting that, “I’m so tired of hearing about racism”?
  3. Why do people of color come to terms with their racial identity earlier than most whites?
  4. Describe the encounter at the mall of the white parents who had adopted nonwhite children with their white friend.
  5. What did Du Bois mean by people of color having a “double consciousness” (the entire quote)?
  6. How do the authors of your text define double consciousness?
  7. Name and describe the four techniques to hold racist individuals accountable.
  8. What do the researchers in the race traitor literature call for?
  9. Why is diversity management insufficient for dismantling racism (two reasons)?
  10. Give examples of antidiscrimination laws.
  11. Give examples of what William Julius Wilson’ nonracial solutions to end racism.
  12. What did Cesar Chavez say on reflection of a lifetime of leading the UFW (the entire quote)?
  13. Describe how workers in Hawaii formed a multiracial movement against sugar plantation owners.
  14. Describe the Hawaii sugar workers strike of 1946, including how long it lasted.
  15. What did Frank Wu say about the efforts of an interracial labor movement (the entire quote)?
  16. What is the 80/20 phenomenon?

THE JANABI FAMILY: PODCAST EPISODE #78, CASEFILE

1.       What is the Triangle of Death?

2.       How did the Janabis find themselves in this zone?

3.       What were their names and ages? (You will probably have to Google them to get the proper spelling of their names.)

4.       Which weapons were civilian Iraqis able to keep for protection?

5.       How long did Saddam Hussein rule Iraq?

6.       What was Hussein’s eventual fate?

7.       What happened to the Janabi family? Their older daughter (see her photos above at age 7 and as a teen)? How were they all situated in the house?

8.       Which members of the family survived? How were they able to survive?

9.       Who was the initial military investigator of the incident?

10.Who were Babineau, Tucker and Menchaca? Who took the credit for their deaths?

11.Who was Justin Watt? Who convinced him to report what he knew?

12.Why did the U.S. military find it necessary to relax their recruitment standards?

13.To whom did Steven Green initially confess?

14.Which sport (other than getting wasted on alcohol and energy drinks) were the four soldiers engaged in before the attack on the family?

15.How long did the attack on the family take (from the time the soldiers left checkpoint #2 until they returned)?

16.What role did AP reporter Ryan Lenz play in the incident?

17.What sentence did each of the four soldiers receive after their trials?

18.Who said, “I saw them as evil, less than human” at his sentencing hearing?

19.What was Yribe’s fate?

20.The podcast ends with which politician giving a speech on Iraqi freedom?

: Evidence-informed assessments and interventions

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Assessments are an integral part of the planned change process. During this part of the process you will accumulate, organize, and review the information you will need to begin the planning and intervention phases of treatment. Content and information are obtained from multiple sources (the child, family members, school personnel, etc.) and in various forms (interviews, records, and observation). It is essential to collect data in a comprehensive manner—understanding the presenting problem from an ecological model that seeks to gain insight into the concern on a micro, mezzo, and macro level. Focusing on a multilevel approach to a client’s concern and taking into account the environmental factors that contribute to the presenting problem distinguishes social work from other disciplines.

Post a description of the importance of using multiple evidence-based tools (including quantitative, open ended, and ecologically focused) to assess children. Explain how each complements the other in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the young client’s concerns and situation. Then, describe the use of an eco-map in assessment and explain the different systems you will account for in your assessment of a child.

References:

Woolley, M. E. (2013). Assessment of children. In M. J. Holosko, C. N. Dulmus, & K. M. Sowers (Eds.), Social work practice with individuals and families: Evidence-informed assessments and interventions (pp. 1–39). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

McCormick, K. M., Stricklin, S., Nowak, T. M., & Rous, B. (2008). Using eco-mapping to understand family strengths and resources. Young Exceptional Children, 11(2), 17–28.

The adolescent stage can be described as a time where there is a loss of innocence and a preentry into adulthood

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The adolescent stage can be described as a time where there is a loss of innocence and a preentry into adulthood. A large part of being an adolescent is beginning that process of stepping out into the world and learning about oneself as a unique and autonomous individual. This movement out into the world is contingent upon the knowledge that this young person will have a safe and secure home to return to at the end of the day. If a traumatic loss or event has occurred in the adolescent’s life, there may be no safe base to which this individual can return. Attachment theory teaches us that a young person’s ability to attach/engage with peers, family, and other potential support systems is an important aspect of the developmental process. During the adolescent stage of development, assessing attachment styles is important because it provides a window into how the adolescent relates to others, which allows the clinician to choose the appropriate intervention.

For this Discussion, choose either the program case study for the Bradley family or the course-specific case study for Brady.

Post an application of the attachment theory to the case of either Tiffani or Brady. Discuss the connection between his or her attachment style and the exhibiting behavior.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYCBdZLCDBQ&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWUkW4s3XxY