DISCUSSION 1: Psychological Aspects of Aging

Theories of successful aging explain factors that support individuals as they grow old, contributing to their ability to function. Increasing your understanding of factors that support successful aging improves your ability to address the needs of elderly clients and their families.

To prepare for this Discussion, review this week’s media. In addition, select a theory of successful aging to apply to Helen’s case.

Post a Discussion in which you:

o   Explain key life events that have influenced Helen’s relationships. Be sure to substantiate what makes them key in your perspective.

o   Explain how you, as Helen’s social worker, might apply a theory of successful aging to her case. Be sure to provide support for your strategy.

Be sure to support your posts with specific references to the resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references.

References

Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Parker family: Episode 2 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.

Parker Family Episode 2

Program Transcript

HELEN: Ever since my husband died, there’s been no one to talk to. It’s just,

really, no one. And when Stephanie is home, I just feel so alone.

COUNSELOR: What about the day center you go to? Isn’t that helping?

HELEN: I don’t like it. What makes me really feel good, though, is when I go

shopping, buying things. And my kittens. I love my cats. Oh, have you seen

them? I have pictures. Just take a look. Look! These are so cute. My babies.

COUNSELOR: Yes, they’re very cute. And wow, you have a lot of them.

HELEN: Oh, well, it’s their home, too, not just Princess Stephanie’s.

COUNSELOR: The day program you’re attending, are you seeing a

psychiatrist there?

HELEN: Yes. Dr. Lewin.

COUNSELOR: May I ask how that’s going?

HELEN: He says that I’m depressed.

COUNSELOR: In the pictures you showed me, you just talked about the cats, but I also saw all the things you keep around you, the hoarding. I

understand how depressed you been since your husband passed away. How

alone you’ve felt.

[SIGH] But I would like us to try and set up a plan to begin to address the

hoarding. It’s very clear that that’s one of the big issues that’s affecting your

relationship with Stephanie and your life together. Can we try that?

HELEN: I don’t like it when we fight. She’s still my baby, too. Yes, I want to try.

THE END

Discussion 2: Cultural Influences of Social Policy

Cultures, regardless of where they are or how long ago they existed, share a few common characteristics. Among these characteristics is a structure to care for their children and to socialize them in the culture. Children are taught, both directly and indirectly, the values of the culture, their role in the culture, and the expectations the culture has for them. Children absorb the rules, dynamics, and values, which they will later pass these on to subsequent generations.

As a social worker, you will deal with families from different cultural backgrounds. Understanding the cultural background of the families you work with will help you to effectively intervene and advocate for policies that support their needs. How prepared are you to identify and advocate for social policies that are just and support families from all cultures?

For this Discussion, review this week’s resources, including the Hernandez Family video case. Consider how cultural considerations might affect child welfare policy. Then, think about what your responsibilities, as a social worker, might be in supporting the Hernandez family in addressing their child welfare needs through the accessibility of services. 

 
·      Post an explanation of how cultural considerations might affect child welfare policy.
 
·      Then, explain what your responsibilities, as a social worker, might be in supporting the Hernandez family in addressing their child welfare needs through the accessibility of services.
 

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

References

    Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2015). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

    
Edwards, H. R., Bryant, D. U., & Bent-Goodley, T. B. (2011). Participation and influence in federal child welfare policymaking. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 5(2/3), 145–166.


Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

Hernandez Family 

Program Transcript

JUAN HERNANDEZ: Do you have any idea how hard it is for us to get to these

classes?

ELENA HERNANDEZ: And there’s only one class a week. We don’t have a

choice when to come.

COUNSELOR: That is why we offer the parenting class at night, to make it

easier for working families to attend.

ELENA HERNANDEZ: That’s fine for some people, but that’s when Juan gets his

overtime. He can’t do both. Every time we come here it costs us. We lose money.

And the way things are, we can’t afford to lose a dime.

COUNSELOR: I understand that missing overtime is having a big impact

on you financially. And I understand what you’re saying about the class only

being offered one night a week. If we could offer it several times a week, that

would probably be more helpful. But in the meantime—

JUAN HERNANDEZ: Look, let’s stop dancing around what’s really wrong here.

We appreciate what you’re doing. You want to help parents do a better job with

their kids. But we’re good parents. We love our kids. Yes, they get punished

when they need to be punished, just Elena and I when we were growing up. But

we don’t hit our boys. We don’t hurt them.

If anything, you hurt them by making us come here when I could be out there

making extra money, money that the family needs. Do you hear me? This class

this, whole policy is the real problem. That’s what needs to change, not us.

THE END

Discussion 3: Child Welfare and Family Preservation

An essential aspect of social work practice is the support and preservation of the family unit. Building and empowering strong, resilient families is a focus of social work practice within organizations and communities.

Social work research is an integral aspect of working with families. The research component of social work is essential to providing effective policies, programs, and services to support and empower families.

As a social worker, you need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills required for effectively working with families for child welfare. You also need to interpret and evaluate research findings involving family and child welfare.

For this Discussion,

·      Post an explanation of the role of family preservation in child welfare.
 
·      Then, explain whether research supports the assumption that foster care is harmful for children, as presented by the cornerstone argument for family preservation. Be sure to include whether you agree with this assumption and why you agree or disagree.
 
·      Subsequently, identify the gaps in your state foster care system that contribute to the idea that foster care is harmful to children.
 
·      Then, compare the benefits and shortfalls of permanency planning and family preservation.
 

·      Finally, provide a description of whether you prefer the permanency or the family preservation approach as a child welfare social worker and why you prefer it.

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

References

    Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2015). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

    
Edwards, H. R., Bryant, D. U., & Bent-Goodley, T. B. (2011). Participation and influence in federal child welfare policymaking. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 5(2/3), 145–166.


Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].