ABSTRACT

Gerontological Social Work in Action introduces "anti-oppression gerontology" (AOG), a critical approach to social work with older adults, their families, and communities. AOG principles are applied to direct and indirect practice and a range of topics of relevance to social work practice in the context of a rapidly aging and increasingly diverse world.

Weaving together stories from diverse older adults, theories, research, and practical tools, this unique textbook prompts social workers to think differently and push back against oppressive forces. It pays attention to issues, realities, and contexts that are largely absent in social work education and gerontological practice, including important developments in our understanding of age/ism; theories of aging and social work; sites and sectors of health and social care; managing risk and frailty; moral, ethical and legal questions about aging including medical assistance in dying; caregiving; dementia and citizenship; trauma; and much more.

This textbook should be considered essential reading for social work students new to or seeking to specialize in aging, as well as those interested in the application of anti-oppressive principles to working with older adults and researching later life.

chapter |14 pages

Introduction

part 1|2 pages

Shifting our lens on gerontological social work

chapter Chapter 1|19 pages

Age/ism

Age as a category of difference

chapter Chapter 2|19 pages

Theorizing later life and social work praxis

chapter Chapter 3|20 pages

Sites and sectors of health and social care

part 2|2 pages

Doing AOP social work with older adults

chapter Chapter 4|15 pages

Deconstructing risk and frailty

chapter Chapter 5|24 pages

Moral, legal, and ethical issues

chapter Chapter 6|16 pages

Who cares about caregiving?

chapter Chapter 7|20 pages

Dementia, personhood, and citizenship as practice

chapter Chapter 8|18 pages

Mapping trauma across the life course

chapter Chapter 9|19 pages

Mental health, mental wellness, and substance mis/use

chapter Chapter 10|20 pages

Addressing mistreatment and violence

part 3|2 pages

Revisioning gerontological social work

chapter Chapter 11|18 pages

Building inclusive communities

chapter Chapter 12|21 pages

Policy and planning for an aging society

chapter Chapter 13|19 pages

Everyday lives and realities

chapter |19 pages

Concluding thoughts