Publications

The following is a list of research reports and papers addressing some of the issues social workers face, including: What competencies must social workers possess in order to work with older adults? How can social work better prepare itself for the graying of American society? Provided courtesy of the Council on Social Work Education Gero-Ed Center.

Attention Researchers: 2006 Workforce Study Dataset Available. Data from the 2006 NASW National Study of Licensed Social Workers is now available. It summarizes and interprets the responses of social workers serving older adults obtained through a national sample survey of licensed social workers in the United States conducted in 2004.

Competency Survey
The former CSWE Strengthening Aging and Gerontological Education for Social Work Project (SAGE-SW) conducted a unique, national gerontology competencies survey during the winter of 2000. The survey included sixty-five well-researched items that were specific to gerontological social work in three major professional domains: 1) knowledge about elderly people and their families; 2) professional skill; and 3) professional practice. The survey asked a sample of 2,400 social work practitioners and academics, both with and without aging interest, to provide their opinion on which gerontological social work competencies all social workers need and which only advanced practitioners or specialists need. To view the survey findings and report, please click here.

A Blueprint for the New Millenium
How can the social work profession be prepared to meet the challenges of a growing aging population and build on the opportunities of these changing demographics? To answer this question, the former CSWE Strengthening Aging and Gerontological Education for Social Work Project (SAGE-SW) developed A Blueprint for the New Millennium to guide efforts to train social workers with geriatric competencies. You can download a PDF version (350 KB) of the Blueprint by clicking here, or request a printed copy by e-mailing gero-edcenter@cswe.org.