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Ripples

The e-Newsletter of the Geriatric Social Work Initiative (GSWI)
Volume 7, Issue 2
February 20, 2008

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 Joe Hayes at jhayes@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...
Announcements
Research & News
Funding Opportunities
Resources
Policy

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Partnership Practicum Program (PPP) Renamed the Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE)

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Call for Papers
The online abstract submissions for the GSA 61st Annual Scientific Meeting in National Harbor, Maryland at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center is now available. This year’s theme is “Resilience in an Aging Society: Risks and Opportunities.” Deadline for submission is March 14, 2008. To learn how to submit an abstract, click here. 

CSWE Now Accepting Proposals for the APM Gero-Ed Track
The Call for Proposals for the 2008 CSWE Annual Program Meeting (APM) is now open.  We encourage you to submit your aging-related proposal to the Gero-Ed Track by selecting the “Gero-Ed (Aging and Gerontology) Track” option when completing the APM online submission process.  The 54th CSWE APM will be held in Philadelphia, October 29–November 1, 2008.  Please visit the APM page on the CSWE Web site for more information: http://www.cswe.org/apm/. APM Submission Deadline: Friday, March 28, 2008

March is Social Workers Recognition Month
Each year social workers across the country celebrate their profession’s during March—National Professional Social Work Month. The theme for this year Social Work Month is Building on Strengths. This theme encapsulates the foundation for growth and change in an individual, a family and a community. To learn more about Social Workers Recognition Month and to view the online tool kit, click here.  

The American Geriatrics Society Annual Scientific Meeting
The American Geriatrics Society Annual Scientific Meeting is quickly approaching. This year’s meeting is April 30-May 4 in Washington, D.C. The 2008 Annual Meeting will address the educational needs of geriatric professionals from all disciplines. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, health care administrators, and others can update their knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations. To learn more about the Annual Meeting, click here.

RESEARCH & NEWS

Older Women More Prone to Depression than Men
A recent study in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that older women are more prone to depression and are more likely to remain depressed than are older men. The study which focused on 754 males and females over the age of 70, discovered that women were about twice as likely as men to become depressed, while they were 73 percent less likely to transition from being depressed to being non-depressed. To learn more about the finding and the study, click here.

Many Unaware of Heart Health and Dementia Link
A survey conducted by Richard Day Research in January for the Alzheimer’s Association and the American Heart Association discovered more than 2,000 people nationwide, including 1,210 black Americans, did not know about the connection between cardiovascular conditions and the risk of dementia. This is increasingly important as the number of black Americans over age 65 is to double by 2030. To learn more, click here.

Seeing Spouses More Negatively Might Be a Positive
A recent University of Michigan study presented at The Gerontological Society of America’s annual meeting discovered that viewing one’s spouse in a negative manner might not be bad. In fact, good may arise from it. In other words, research shows that it’s possible that negativity is a normal aspect of close relationships that include a great deal of daily contact. To learn more, click here.

Hand Held Computers Nudge Older Adults to Exercise More
In a recent Stanford study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, personal digital assistants, or PDAs, were found to push sedentary middle-aged and older Americans into increasing their physical activity levels. To learn more of the results of this first-generation study, click here.

The Graying of HIV/AIDS
The graying of HIV/AIDS is a little-recognized new phase of the epidemic in the United States, and it comes with its own complications. Individuals with HIV/AIDS are growing older. They are also growing older faster. Ailments common to aging, including depression, are showing up sooner than expected in many people with HIV, according to patients and doctors who treat them. To learn more, click here.

World Population to Age with Increasing Speed; Eventually Slow Down
A recent study found that the world will experience a significant acceleration in the speed of population aging over the coming years, but slow down by mid-century, according to a Stony Brook University study. Global aging will peak during the decade 2020 to 2030 and then decelerate, although there will be further increases in the level of aging throughout the century. The study uses both traditional measures and new concepts that include changes in longevity to measure the speed of population aging in 13 major regions. To view this study, click here.

Parkinson’s Patients Benefit from Tango
In a study appearing in the December issue of The Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy, researchers discovered that when Parkinson’s patients took tango classes, their balance improved. When compared to ordinary exercise classes, those that took tango classes experienced better balance. To learn more about the effects of tango on Parkinson’s patients, click here.  

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Hartford Doctoral Fellows Pre-Dissertation Award Program
The Hartford Doctoral Fellows Pre-Dissertation Award Program, a component of the nationwide Geriatric Social Work Initiative, will introduce you to the world of gerontological research and give you a jump start in taking on a leadership role in this burgeoning field. If you’re a social work doctoral student seeking a direction that will fully engage your talents and satisfy your passion to make a difference, click here.

CSWE Gero-Ed Center CDI Program: Gero Curricular Chance Funding Available
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center announces funding for a new, 3-year Cycle 2 Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) Program, July 1, 2008-June 30, 2011. Applications are welcome from all CSWE-accredited BSW, MSW, and combined BSW/MSW programs that have not already participated in the Cycle 1 CDI Program (2004-2007) or the Geriatric Enrichment Program (GeroRich, 2001-2004). For additional program and application details, review the Request for Proposals (RFP) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), available on the CDI Program Web page, http://www.gero-edcenter.org/CDI. The application deadline is April 15, 2008.

CSWE Gero-Ed Center BEL Program: Funding Exclusively for BSW Programs
The CSWE Gero-Ed Center has just released the RFP for its new funding opportunity—the BSW Experiential Learning (BEL) Program. This unique program funds faculty to design positive learning experiences for their students to interact with older adults, which is a strategy intended to recruit students to gerontological placements and careers. It is available only to BSW programs in order to reach students early in their academic careers. The Gero-Ed Center encourages all eligible BSW programs to apply for this new program. Visit the BEL Program web page at www.Gero-EdCenter.org to learn more and request an application. If you have questions after visiting the website, please email the CSWE Gero-Ed Center at Gero-EdCenter@cswe.org. Application deadline is May 16, 2008.

Anita Rosen Poster Awards: $1000 Available to Students
Submissions for the 3rd Annual Anita Rosen Gerontology Awards for Outstanding Student Poster are now being accepted from BSW, MSW, and Doctoral social work students as part of the CSWE APM Call for Proposals. Three $1000 awards are available (one for each degree level) to students submitting intergenerational or aging-specific poster abstracts. Visit the Anita Rosen Awards Page of the Gero-Ed Center Web site to download a flyer to distribute to your students to encourage them to submit to the APM Gero-Ed Track. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 28, 2008. For more information, please visit the Rosen Awards Page on the Gero-Ed Center Web site, call Jason Echols at +1.703.519.2064, or e-mail the Gero-Ed Center.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Funding for Doctoral Students
This article introduces the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as a unique source of funding for Doctoral students in Social Work. HUD offers two distinct grants—the Early Doctoral Students Research Grant and a Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant. To learn more about the requirements, criteria, and review process, click here.

RESOURCES

State Resource Directory on Elder Abuse Prevention
The National Center on Elder Abuse website features a state-by-state directory of state government agencies, state laws, state-specific data and statistics, and statewide resources. To view this directory, click here.

Health, United States, 2007: Annual Report on Trends in Health Statistics
The Department of Health and Human Services: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released its annual report depicting trends in health statistics for 2007. This resource provides over 151 tables and 36 charts on the latest health trends. To view the complete report, executive summary, highlights, chart book contents, tables, and many more, click here. 

Book: Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics: Biopsychosocial Approches to Longevity
Edited by Leonard W. Poon, PhD, DPhil and Thomas T. Perls, MD, MPH, this book is written by an international group of experts that considers the methodological and design dilemmas faced in conducting centenarian research. It also offers guidance in locating literature and data sources for primary and secondary information on centenarians. Aside from focusing on centenarians, the book is divided in three sections—the biology and genetics of longevity, the behavioral and social predictors of longevity, and methodological issues in qualitative and anthropologic approaches and the study of the very oldest old, supercentenarians, or those who live to 110 years or more. To learn more or to view the table of contents, click here.  

Prepare Now for Older Americans Month: May
Older Americans Month 2008 materials are now available on the Administration on Aging website. For more information on how to celebrate May as Older Americans month in your area, download sample proclamations, logos, and posters, click here. 

Alliance for Aging Research Website
The not-for-profit Alliance for Aging Research is an advocacy organization for improving the health and independence of Americans as they age. Specifically the Alliance seeks to promote medical and behavioral research into the aging process. Their website serves as a resource for aging news, surveys and quizzes, and contains health education. To learn more about the Alliance, click here.

Tips for the Sandwich Generation Caregiver
Kathleen Bogolea, the Director for the Family Caregiver Support Program, offers advice and tips for the sandwich generation that care for both younger loved ones such as children, and their elder parents or other elder family members. It has been estimated that American families provide 80 to 90 percent of all in-home long term care services for their aging family members and other loved ones. In order to counteract some of the stressors that accompany this overwhelming task, Kathleen Bogolea offers caregiver tips that may help sandwich generation caregivers along the way. To view these tips, click here.

National Elder Law Network Website
The National Elder Law Network website, formerly the Kansas Elder Law Network, has recently updated and added annotated bibliographies on topic areas including abuse and neglect, alzheimer’s, caregiving, consumer news, crime, cultural issues, disability issues, discrimination, dispute resolution, elder law practice, estate planning, ethics, health care, housing, mental health, pets, retirement, substance abuse, taxation, and other topics. To view this resource, click here.

POLICY
 
Spotlight on Policy Success: 2007 Hartford Faculty Scholar Policy Leadership Institute
Suzanne Prevost, a Hartford geriatric nurse, recently attended the 2007 Hartford Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., along with three other nurses and 12 Hartford Faculty Scholars. The Institute’s main objective was to introduce social workers and nurses to the world of policy. As part of the program, each scheduled a meeting with their Member of Congress or staff representative, introducing themselves and their work as a future resource in geriatric social work and nursing related areas. After the Institute, Suzanne’s meeting transcended the ordinary introduction meeting. In fact, a month after the initial visit, Suzanne received a formal notification letter informing her that her school would receive a $250,000 federal appropriation for equipment and technology enhancements. Suzanne’s success is a reminder that research and practice can have real world policy implications.

Should Older Americans be Included in the Stimulus Package? Attitudes of Likely Voters
AARP commissioned a national survey of 1,027 adults to determine attitudes if older Americans should receive the stimulus package intended to bolster the economy. Respondents included only registered voters and those most likely to vote in the 2008 presidential elections. The survey found that while respondents were divided over whether a government rebate is a good way to boost the economy, 85 percent believe that such a rebate should include older Americans and others who rely primarily on Social Security. For the complete findings of the survey, click here.

Oregon Bill to Create an Online Database to List Abusive Caregivers
An Oregon House committee voted to introduce a bill that would create an online database of caregivers who have abused people with disabilities. The proposal is one piece of a broader measure that seeks to better protect one in five adult clients out of 4,200 developmentally disabled adults in group and foster care that have been abused in homes across Oregon. To learn about the legislation, click here. To read an editorial from an Oregon newspaper concerning this issue, click here.

AoA Releases FY 2009 Budget Request
On February 4, 2008, the Administration on Aging released the Fiscal Year 2009 budget request to Congress of $1.381 billion as a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget request. The AoA FY 2009 budget request seeks to strengthen the national aging services network in meeting the challenges presented by the aging of the baby boomers and the need for more options for long-term living. To learn more, click here.

American Voters Getting Older
In the 2004 presidential election, about one in five votes were cast by someone 65 and older. By 2040, it is anticipated about 40 percent of voters will be 65 or older. Roughly 10 percent of elderly voters reside in a nursing home or long-term care facility. Sen. Kohl (D-Wis.) and Sen. Feinstein (D-Calif.) have planned to ask the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to develop nationwide voting guidelines for state election officials and nursing home staffs. Currently, 29 states have no guidelines for voting accommodations for residents of long term care facilities. To learn more, click here.

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