SOCW 6111 Week 6 Discussions Latest

SOCW 6111 Week 6 Discussions Latest

Discussion 1: Self-Determination

In the Christ & Diwan (2008) article, the authors list seven domains that social workers should address in order to fully assess an older client’s needs. Each domain is considered equally important. This comprehensive evaluation fits well with the social work perspective that it is important to not only address the internal concerns of clients but also their environment. Making decisions for older adults without their input occurs often. In society people sometimes treat their elders like children—making decisions for them based on what they think is best rather than from the client’s perspective. While at times this may be well intentioned, the potential for infantilism and, in turn, compromised self-determination, occurs.

For this Discussion, review the program case study for the Petrakis family. You will focus not on Helen, but on her mother-in-law, Magda. What decisions were made about Magda’s treatment without a formal assessment and/or her input? Consider how Christ & Diwan’s (2008) seven domains relate to Magda’s case. Complete an assessment for Magda and identify the choices that were made without her feedback.

Post a summary of your assessment of Magda’s situation that addresses the seven domains. Fill in the gaps in content as necessary. Describe ways you would have included Magda in the original assessment and treatment plan. Include questions you would have asked Magda and her professional support system (doctors, nurses, etc.) to gain further insight into the situation.

Support your posts with specific references to the Learning Resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

Discussion 2: Elder Abuse

Each year on or around June 15, communities and municipalities around the world plan activities and programs to recognize World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, a day set aside to spread awareness of the abuse of the elderly (Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect, 2013). The abuse of older adults is a growing concern and statistics suggest that the number of elders experiencing abuse is an alarmingly high number. Research suggests that close to half the people diagnosed with dementia experience some form of abuse (Cooper, C., Selwood, A., Blanchard, M., Walker, Z., Blizard, R., & Livingston, G., 2009; Wiglesworth, A., Mosqueda, L., Mulnard, R., Liao, S., Gibbs, L., & Fitzgerald, W., 2010, as cited on http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/Library/Data/index.aspx). Elder abuse takes on many forms and can include physical, emotional, psychological, and economic abuse. The legendary American actor, Mickey Rooney, spoke to the United States Senate, describing his own experiences of pain and neglect at the hands of his stepson, asking legislators to take seriously the abuse of the elderly.

For this Discussion,  find a scholarly article that presents some of the most important psychosocial issues related to elder abuse.

Post a summary of the article you found. How does the article reinforce the importance of assessing potential abuse and neglect when working with the elderly? Describe prevention and/or intervention strategies on the micro, mezzo, and macro levels that can be used to address the issue of abuse and neglect of the elderly.

Support your posts with specific references to the Learning Resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Self-Determination and elder abuse

Introduction

When a person is in care and has difficulties exercising their self-determination, there is a risk of elder abuse. This article discusses the three aspects of self-determination: freedom, competence, and autonomy.

Understanding Self-Determination

Self-determination is a fundamental human right that recognizes the ability to make choices about one’s own life and well-being. It applies to all people, regardless of age or ability—and it’s something we can learn about ourselves.

Self-determination is not just for the elderly; it’s for anyone who wants more control over their lives. Self-determined people are free from others’ control over their actions, thoughts, feelings and perceptions. They have autonomy over every aspect of themselves: their health care decisions; personal relationships (including partners); work environment; leisure activities; finances…the list goes on!

If you want more information about how self-determination works in practice, check out this article by Bruce Goldstein at NPR News: “How A Senior Woman Helped Herself Get Out Of A Nursing Home And Into Her Own Home In One Day.”

1. Freedom

Freedom is a key principle in the context of elder abuse and self-determination. In this context, freedom refers to the ability of an individual to make decisions and take actions in their lives without interference from others.

This concept is central because it provides an opportunity for people with disabilities or other impairments to participate fully in society by having full access to information, resources and opportunities for self-determination (see box 1). Freedom also allows elders who live alone or with family members on a daily basis some degree of independence in terms of making choices about how they spend their time.

2. Competence

Competence is the ability to understand and make informed decisions. It can be affected by cognitive impairment, dementia, and other mental illnesses. Physical impairments may also affect a person’s competence. Age can also play a role in your ability to make decisions for yourself: as we age our bodies change physically (e.g., we lose muscle mass) which affects our ability to move around independently or perform daily tasks such as bathing or dressing yourself without assistance from others — if you have difficulty doing these things on your own then it may be time for you stop driving until further notice!

3. Autonomy

A person’s autonomy is the ability to make decisions about one’s life and actions. It is related to the concept of self-determination, which means that a person has the right for their own body, mind, and spirit. This means that a person should be free from coercion or manipulation by others in making choices about themselves.

Autonomy also includes being free from undue influence on your ability to make choices regarding what you do with your time or energy (including finances). For example: if you are forced into taking care of someone who cannot care for themselves because they are an adult child who has been unable to take care of themselves due to illness or disability; this would not be considered autonomy because it would violate your own rights as an individual adult person living independently at home with their family members until death occurs naturally following normal aging processes over time without any assistance given beforehand except perhaps providing some basic necessities like food supplies but certainly no financial support whatsoever beyond those necessary expenses associated with maintaining basic facilities such as water supply systems etcetera so therefore this situation could potentially cause harm towards yourself since it violates one’s personal freedom rights by limiting access within certain areas within ones own home space where one spends most hours each day simply doing everyday activities like going outside walking around town visiting friends’ houses having fun playing video games watching TV shows listening music videos playing computer games

When elders are in care settings and have difficulties exercising self-determination, there is a risk of abuse.

When an elder is in a care setting, there is a risk of abuse. The following signs can help you recognize that an elder has been abused:

• Physical injury or bruises on the body

• Defensive wounds (tend to be around the neck, under the chin, and on the legs)

• Bruises or abrasions around mouth and eye areas (most commonly from being choked)

• Wounds that are not consistent with self-defense or accidental injury such as a cut from falling over something

Conclusion

The elderly are among the most vulnerable members of society. They face many challenges, such as loneliness, isolation and social isolation. Some may even be living alone for many years. Elder abuse is not an inevitable outcome of these circumstances—it is a choice by those who can make things better or worse for elders in their care settings.