Social Work in Health Care with Older Adults: Future Challenges

Abstract

Dramatic changes in demography, epidemiology, and the financing and delivery of health care have significantly affected the lives of older adults and their families. The authors review current and future trends in aging and health care in the United States and their implications for social work practice in enhancing the health and well-being of older adults and their caregivers. Health care social work in the 21st century requires the development and application of evidence-based knowledge that reflects the interrelatedness of aging, physical and mental health, and intergenerational family processes. The authors demonstrate the value of social work research to issues that are in the forefront of gerontological health care practice, policy, and education.