For a complete list of past issues of Ripples, please click here.

Ripples

The e-Newsletter of the Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI)
Volume 6, Issue 3
March 2 , 2007

Welcome to Ripples, an e-newsletter designed to keep interested deans and directors, faculty members, students, practitioners and others informed about the work of the Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI).  We welcome your feedback and encourage you to contribute any story ideas, stories, resources, news and other content to subsequent issues of the newsletter. To make a contribution, please contact Ashley Groth at agroth@geron.org.  If you have been forwarded this newsletter by a colleague and would like to subscribe, please reply to this e-mail and type the word “subscribe” in the subject line. Please be sure to visit our website at www.gswi.org.

In this Issue:
1. Announcements
2. Research
3. Funding
4. Resources

Announcements

The Gerontological Society of America Abstract Submission Deadline: March 29

Hartford Predissertation Awardee Applications Due May 1, 2007
Awardees will receive travel expenses and registration to attend national professional meetings, membership to various professional organizations and networking opportunities with other Hartford Doctoral Fellows and Scholars. The program is intended to expose more students to gerontological social work research, expand the number of social work doctoral dissertations that identify and examine a set of research questions seeking to improve the health and well-being of older persons and their families, and enhance the likelihood of writing a successful grant application to the Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program. Jim Lubben at Boston College (lubben@bc.edu) and Carmen Morano at Hunter College (cmorano@hunter.cuny.edu) are Program Directors.

New Gero-Ed Track at CSWE Annual Program Meeting in October 2007
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Gero-Ed Center is pleased to announce the new Gero-Ed Track at the 2007 CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) to be held in San Francisco, October 27-30, 2007.  Please submit your gerontology, aging and/or intergenerational-related abstract to the APM Gero-Ed Track at http://www.cswe.org/apm by April 27, 2007. 

Students are encouraged to submit intergenerational or aging-specific student poster abstracts to the Gero-Ed Track to be eligible for the Anita Rosen Gerontology Awards for Outstanding Student Poster (Rosen Gero Student Awards).  A $1000 award is available for students from each level of education (BSW, MSW, Doctoral).

As a reminder, this year all aging, gerontology and intergenerational content has been integrated into the APM as the Gero-Ed Track – there will be no Gero-Ed Forum held in conjunction with the APM, as in past years.  This exciting change represents gerontology as a normative part of social work education and not the exception. All gerontology related abstracts should be submitted to the APM Gero-Ed Track. Watch for CSWE Gero-Ed Center sponsored events in San Francisco!  

Please visit the Gero-Ed Center Web site (www.Gero-EdCenter.org) for additional information on the Gero-Ed Track and our other projects.

Research & News

Guidelines released to address support of families in the ICU
Judy E. Davidson, RN, FCCM, chairperson of the American College of Critical Care Medicine task force and lead author of the new guidelines states that “up to 80% of family members of ICU patients develop anxiety, depression and/or post-traumatic stress response related to their experience.” The new guidelines, which are defining standards for incorporating families into decision-making and care for ICU patients, seek to acknowledge and embrace the role of family members and friends with loved ones in the ICU. Guidelines were written by a multidisciplinary task force of experts assembled by the American College of Critical Care Medicine of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. The importance of patient-centered care, as opposed to clinician or disease-centered care, and the participatory role of family members in the ICU have proven to be beneficial to both the family and the patient.  To access the full article, Click Here.

National Council on Aging and Access to Benefits Coalition release report on access to Medicare D Low-Income Subsidy
With the expansion of the Medicare program, many are still falling through the cracks with limited access to the Medicare D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program. The National Council on Aging estimates that only “35 to 42% of beneficiaries who could have successfully applied for the LIS in 2006 are actually receiving it.” The challenge is finding and enrolling the people who are falling through the cracks.  This paper offers legislative, administrative and regulatory reform recommendations to help improve access to the program for seniors, disabled individuals and those with limited means.  To access full report, Click Here.

Study released on Affordable Housing Plus Services (AHPS) for low and modest-income older adults
The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development and the A.M. McGregor Home in Cleveland, OH funded the Institute for the Future of Aging Services (IFAS) to examine ways to meet the long-term care needs of low and modest-income older adults. Affordable Housing Plus Services (AHPS) links older residents of subsidized multiunit housing to health and supportive services, allowing them to age in their homes. The goal is to integrate affordable housing and health and supportive services for older adults. To access report, Click Here.

Funding Opportunities

MAC Project Gero Innovations Fund for MSW Programs: RFP now available
The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Gero Innovations Grant of the new CSWE Gero-Ed Center’s Masters Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project is now available online.  The Gero Innovations Grant will provide funds for up to 20 selected MSW programs to develop, implement, and evaluate different methods to infuse gerontological competencies into classes and related field opportunities for each of the three advanced MSW specialty areas - mental health, substance abuse and health.  Please visit www.Gero-EdCenter.org/mac/ for more information on the application process and the MAC Project. 

Practice Change Fellows Program accepting applications
Funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and administered by the Division of Health Care Policy and Research at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, in partnership with the National Council on Aging, the Fellowship program seeks to develop health care leaders who promote high quality care to older adults through the design, implementation and evaluation of a project.  Up to 10 individuals will be selected and will receive $90,000 over the course of two years to complete the project. Applicants will work with national mentors throughout the course of the Fellowship. Applicants must hold a leadership role in a health organization or institution and have service line or programmatic responsibility for care to older adults. They should also hold a senior position within their organization that allows them to have decision-making responsibilities.  Nurses, physicians and social workers are eligible. Application deadline is April 4, 2007.  For more information on the Fellowship and on application procedures, Click Here.

Project on Death in America (PDIA) Social Work Leadership Award call for nominations
The PDIA Social Work Leadership Award is granted by the Social Work in Hospice and Palliative Care Network to a social worker who “demonstrates outstanding leadership and has advanced the field in end-of-life, hospice and palliative care.” The nominee must have made significant contributions in one or more of the following areas: research, education, practice and policy. The goal of the award is to “acknowledge and increase visibility of social work contributions to end-of-life, hospice and palliative care and encourage future generations to continue providing quality care to the seriously ill, dying and bereaved.” The awardee will receive publishing opportunities, conference attendance during which the award will be presented and a monetary prize of $1500. Deadline for nominations is March 31, 2007.  For more information, Click Here.

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Commission on Global Social Work Education call for nominations
This is the 4th year that the CSWE Commission on Global Social Work Education will recognize the contribution of individuals, organizations and others as partners in advancing education for international social work through an awards program.  Up to three awards will be given for different categories, and the nominations are due by April 2, 2007. For more information and a description of the nomination process, Click Here.

Social Work Research Fellowships announced for 2007-08 academic year
The Center for the Study of Social Work Practice has announced the call for applications for 2007-08 Research Fellowships.  The Center is a joint program of Columbia University School of Social Work and the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS). Fellowships are available on an international level to faculty members wishing to conduct research to improve the quality of evidence-based practice in the social work field. Applicants may apply for funding up to $20,000 for the 2007-08 academic year, as well as $20,000 for the 2008-09 academic year. Applications are due on or before April 1, 2007.  For more information and guidelines, Click Here.

Resources

Summer training workshop on African American aging research
The workshop will take place at the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University June 4-6, 2007.  Principal investigators of the workshop are James S. Jackson from the University of Michigan and Peter A. Lichtenberg from Wayne State University.  The workshop will identify and mentor investigators of multi-cultural backgrounds who are committed to conducting African American health-related aging research and contribute to the improvement of the quality and quantity of health-related research conducted with the African American aging population.

Six stipends will be awarded to help with travel expenses.  Those interested in applying must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; African-American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian/Pacific Islander ancestry; and have a PhD, MD or equivalent degree, or be a PhD Candidate.

All application materials must be received by April 13.  For more information and application instructions, email Carol Talbott at ctalbott@wayne.edu.

IASWR Research Methods Workshops in Washington, DC
Measurement and Confirmatory Factor Analysis:
This workshop, led by Donna Harrington, PhD, from the University of Maryland School of Social Work, will take place June 27-28, 2007 at the IASWR offices near Union Station. Doctoral students, junior faculty and other researchers interested in measurement are encouraged to attend. The format of the workshop includes lectures, hands-on exercises and group discussion. Registration is $450 and limited to 40 students.  For additional information and to register, Click Here.

Qualitative Data Analysis: It’s Not Just Anything Goes!
This workshop, led by Dr. James W. Drisko, from Smith College School for Social Work, will take place Aug. 3-4, 2007 at the IASWR offices near Union Station. Doctoral students, junior faculty and other researchers interested in qualitative and mixed methodologies are encouraged to attend. Registration is $450 and limited to 30 students. For additional information and to register, Click Here.

4th Annual Research Training in Aging and Social Work
The Research Training will be held at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota July 15-22, 2007. Two follow-up meetings will occur in Feb. 2008 and in the summer of 2008. Co-directed by Barbara Berkman of Columbia University and Chandra Mehrotra of The College of St. Scholastica, this research training is intended for social work faculty who have received a doctoral degree at least three years ago in any area of social work. The program will strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills for developing an active research agenda and integrating scholarship with teaching. Food, lodging and travel support will be provided for the 15 applicants chosen to participate.  Application deadline is April 2, 2007.  For additional information, Click Here. For more details and for application materials, please contact Chandra M. Mehrotra, Co-Director, Research Training Program, The College of St. Scholastica, 1200 Kenwood Avenue, Duluth, MN 55811. E-mail: cmehrotr@css.edu.

Journal of Gerontological Social Work now available in print and online
The Haworth Press has a new offer for smaller social work libraries which may not yet have subscribed to the Journal of Gerontological Social Work. A new subscriber will be offered a “Premium Subscription”.  For 10% above the current library subscription rate, the library gains electronic access to the entire electronic archive, going back to Volume I, #1 (now 48 complete volumes). The library gets to keep the electronic access for as long as it keeps the subscription; if the library cancels, it maintains access only to the volumes for which it paid. 

For a sample copy, email samplecopy@HaworthPress.com.  To purchase the Journal, Click Here and search for the Journal of Gerontological Social Work.

Australian Social Work call for papers
Australian Social Work is the official journal of the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW) and will celebrate its 60th year in 2007. The international peer-reviewed journal reflects current trends in social work and promotes the development of practice, policy and education. The journal publishes original research, theoretical papers and critical reviews that build upon existing knowledge. Papers addressing the development of social work over the past 60 years are encouraged to commemorate the journal’s 60th anniversary. For submission guidelines, Click Here.

Tables available on the Trends in Health and Aging website
The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted informative tables on the Trends in Health and Aging website. Data in the tables is shown by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin. Topics range from chronic conditions, health insurance, risk factors to the use and cost of prescription medication. To access tables, Click Here.  

NIH Summer Institute call for applications
The National Institutes of Health Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research is offering a Summer Institute titled, “The Design and Development of Community-Based Participatory Research in Health” at the University of Chicago-Gleacher Center from July 9-13, 2007. The Institute will address conceptual, methodological and practical issues needed for community-based participatory research seeking to improve health and reduce disparities within communities. Participants must have completed a Doctorate degree within the past 2 years. There is no fee for the Institute, and all travel expenses will be covered by NIH. A maximum of 30 participants will be selected. Applications are due by May 7, 2007. For additional information and application materials, Click Here.  

Just released: Data Sources on Older Americans 2006
The Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics has just released Data Sources on Older Americans 2006, which includes information on Federal agency and government aging-related products and surveys containing statistical information about the older adult population. For more information, Click Here.

2008 BPD Annual Conference call for proposals
The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors, Inc. (BPD) will hold it’s 25th Annual Conference titled “Twenty-five years of BPD: Honoring our past, celebrating our present, affirming our future” in Destin, Florida from March 5-9, 2008. Deadlines for calls for award nominations, posters and lectures may be found on the BPD website, http://www.bpdonline.org/. The deadline for call for proposal submissions is June 15, 2007.

-----------------

To subscribe to Ripples, click here. Type in your full email address and let us know you'd like to subscribe.