Volunteers and political officials in local communities often campaign to improve conditions and provide services to increase the well-being of individuals and families living in those communities. If you are the parent of young children, you might focus on improving the local school or creating safe places where children can play. If you are an individual in later adulthood or a caregiver for an individual in later adulthood, what community resources might be important to you? For this week's A...

Western cultures think of time in linear terms while other cultures perceive the passage of time in cyclical terms (Helman, 2005). Helman states, "The clock, the watch and the calendar are among the main cultural symbols of Western industrial society" (para. 3). How might a culture's perception of time influence views of individuals in later adulthood? What other cultural differences might impact a people's view of aging? This week, you explore different cultures' perspectives on aging and consi...

The death of a loved one is a significant event that everyone experiences. An individual's social environment, including societal and familial cultural factors, may influence how an individual approaches death or grieves the loss of someone else who dies. You can anticipate addressing grief in your social work practice and, therefore, should develop an understanding of the grieving process. Models of grieving may identify stages through which an individual progresses in response to the death ...

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 Sara's case. By Day 3 Post a Discussion in which you: Explain key life events that ...

The death of an elderly individual may occur in a variety of settings and circumstances. For example, an individual may die painlessly at home surrounded by the support of many loved ones, or an individual may suffer severe pain for months before dying in a health facility with little social support. In addition, it is possible that many health and helping professionals may interact with the dying person and his or her family. For this Assignment, you consider a social worker's role in end-of...

The Aging Process As individuals grow older, they experience biological changes, but how they experience these changes varies considerably. Senescence, or the process of aging, "affects different people, and various parts of the body, at different rates" (Zastrow& Kirst-Ashman, 2013, p. 617). What factors affect the aging process? Why do some individuals appear to age faster than others? In this Discussion you address these questions and consider how, you, as a social worker, might app...

What does evidence-based research say about the development of sexual orientation in young and middle adulthood? Though the body of literature addressing sexual orientation, including heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality, is far from complete, the literature continues to grow. Your awareness of this literature helps inform your social work practice as you address the needs of clients with a variety of sexual orientations. For this Assignment, conduct your own research to identify a...

Gender identity—identifying oneself as male or female—is a critical component of an individual's life-span development. Misconceptions and stereotypes abound with regard to gender, and you may bring personal misconceptions and stereotypes to your work with clients. As you read the resources this week, what concepts seem especially relevant to you as a social worker? Are you able to identify any personal misunderstandings about the formation of gender identity? What strategies might you use to...

As you have been exploring human behavior and the social environment, you have likely increased your awareness of the many biological, psychological, and sociological factors that affect individual behavior. Human relationships are complex, and social workers may find it difficult to keep these important interactions in mind when addressing a client's needs. Murray Bowen (as cited in Zastrow& Kirst-Ashman, 2016, p. 595) developed the genogram, a tool to help social workers and other practiti...

Poverty has a strong influence on the lives of adults. When an adult lives in poverty, the effects extend beyond that individual to all those who depend on the adult. The problem of poverty in the life of an adult becomes a family or community problem, and few social problems are more impactful than poverty. As a social worker, you are likely to address the needs of clients whose adverse circumstances are strongly influenced by poverty. Increasing your understanding of poverty and its influen...