It is twenty years since World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was set up because it simply wasn’t recognised that older people experience abuse every day in our communities. Now there is awareness. There are safeguards. There is good practice. But not for everyone, everywhere, all of the time. Today, Hourglass are asking us to think […]
Better understood; still overlooked Read More »
Globally the population of people aged 60 years and over has doubled since 1995. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double again to 2.1 billion (WHO, 2026). This is a success story. It also means that the social work profession has to focus more on this part of
Why global work on rights for older people matters to social work Read More »
The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that all humans are born equal in dignity and rights. The endeavour is to live up to that at every stage of life. In older age, this has to include a commitment to being anti-ageist. Human rights are universal. However, in later life, rights are often undermined
Anti-ageist practice is a crucial part of human rights work Read More »
At the moment, our society is full of the rapid and widespread change that is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Since this is a social change that impacts on people, all social workers need to engage with it. The first thing that I have been pondering is that massive change is not new to social work. An
I am not a robot: a few (human) thoughts on AI in social work Read More »
The theme for World Social Work Day is Intergenerational Solidarity. On my first Monday as a Team Manager, I went into the Barracks in Hillsborough to meet the team. The Friday before I had been a social worker. Now I was responsible for a patch of Sheffield and a group of people. I was anxious.My
Intergenerational peer support Read More »
Human rights is one of the three foundational principles of social work ethics and social work is described as a human rights profession. Human Rights Day (10 December) is a good moment for me to ask myself: what does being part of a human rights profession actually mean? It’s about dignity The first line of
Dignity, equity, everyday: what does it mean to be part of a human rights profession? Read More »
Today is the International Day of Older Persons; a day to celebrate the amazing shift in our human family as more people live longer. The theme for this year is Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide. It is a timely theme given that by 2030, older
Ageing with Dignity: Celebrating Social Work’s Contribution in Later Life Read More »
“Think about transition as going over a bridge. Look and see what you need to leave behind and honour that. Pick up what you want to take with you and use that. Imagine what you’ll get at the other side and look forward to that.” (Jo) After 8 years of hosting, Jo and I are
Think back to the stories that strike you most from your time as a social worker. For me, there is Elena and her determination to get out of her hospital bed and back to her flat, and the way I described this burning wish in my assessment paperwork so we could get her funding for
This is real social work Read More »
When I was seven I was taken to the optician because I couldn’t see the blackboard at school. I remember the incredible sensation when they put lenses in front of my eyes of everything around me coming into focus. I have been having the same experience putting the lens of intersectionality before my eyes. For
I can see (more) clearly now Read More »
