Reflection article

Project Description: many social workers who serve people who are older may be working in settings alongside medical professionals, psychologists, recreational staff, nutrionists, etc. What are the benefits to serving people who are older in a multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary way? What are the potential challenges? How might social workers in such settings facilitate or enhance the benefits? What skills would this take? what are one or two questions that have peaked your curiosity from this subject? (400-500 words) Extremely original post and well written (including grammar, spelling, etc.), responded to another person’s post, includes all components required, within word count requirements? also i need you to respond to this post: the benefits to serving people who are older in a multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary as a social worker seem to be endless. A social worker working for the elderly population often works alongside many different people (doctors, nurses, dieticians, various therapists, ect.), and it seems that this makes their job somewhat less stressful. Social workers are not as depended upon to their client’s survival, because they are working with other people who can easily provide resources for their clients, and they do not have to go out necessarily to find these resources for their clients on their own. For example, if a social worker is already working along side a dietician that is planning their client’s diet, the social worker essentially has one less task to complete for their client. A client’s life is much easier overall when they have many people working with them to improve their overall quality of life. Potential challenges that might arise working with this population include growing close to clients who may end up passing away, as well as witnessing the decline of client’s health, for example, watching them develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. More potential challenges include having to make difficult decisions for clients, such as end of life decisions, or even making the decision to place a client into a nursing home or hospice. Another challenge might be to report a case of elder abuse. Social workers in such settings might enhance the benefits by having an understanding of what is needed for their clients, as well as being assertive but understanding of his or her needs/wants at the same time. Being respectful to client’s wishes, and also being a good listener and knowing how to exercise proper empathy also play into facilitating the benefits. After reading the chapter and attending this week’s class, I am curious to know why more social workers do not enter this field, as it seems to have a far lower burn out rate than other aspects of social work do, such as working in schools or with abused children. I am also curious to know if social workers in this field become numb to certain situations, like having to help a client decide whether or not to commit medically assisted suicide, for example. Otherwise, how can social workers have the mental energy to assist clients in making such decisions if they do not become somewhat “numb”? also needed as soon as possible.