Ethical preferences for the clinical practice of empowerment social work

Economic and demographic challenges for social care

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of reforms designed to address economic and demographic challenges in England with reference to the authors' own empirical work providing a critique of their impact and suggesting a way to improve the quality of social care for older people.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The research was a qualitative study conducted in a participatory manner in which older people were positioned as co-creators of the research study. This involved setting the scope of the study and identifying and refining the themes used in the analysis of an inquiry board and interviews.

FINDINGS

The research findings highlight the threat of recent moves that emphasise "independence" and "self-management" particularly as they risk marginalising some groups of older people and reducing the quality of care. An alternative approach drawn from the ethics of care is suggested.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

The research study focused on a narrow selection of older people and future work will wish to explore concepts of "care" and "independence" in additional contexts and of reforms in other geographies.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The researchers argue that the current reform agenda threatens the quality of care services and suggest improvements to the way in which services might be organised and presented.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

It is intended that the research will contribute to social policy debates and particularly those that focus on social care. The study also looks to contribute to current work in the fields of critical gerontology, feminist ethics and the management of public services more generally.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The paper presents a novel and critical viewpoint of current social care policy in England and will therefore be of interest to policy-makers and to professionals.

Current approaches to support the psychosocial care of African American adults with diabetes: a brief review

African Americans are disproportionately affected by Type 2 diabetes and experience significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence of the disease. Psychosocial support, material resources, and education can have a significant impact on successful diabetes management, particularly among populations with diabetes-related psychological distress such as African Americans. This brief review of the literature identifies and synthesizes current evidence on faith-based, community-based, empowerment-based, strength-based, and culturally competent strategies that may be particularly relevant for social work practitioners supporting African American adults at risk for or diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Discussion focuses on multiple influences on the self-determination of clients working to manage their condition.