The Training Implications of a Social Care Approach to Working with Older People

Abstract

Nursing homes and day care centres have developed and expanded in recent decades with little input from the emergent social care profession. This is despite the significant role played by professionally trained social care workers in the management, planning and direct provision of day and residential services for a wide range of other client groups of all ages. This paper will argue that alongside policy developments in provision of day and residential services for older people work needs to be done on identifYing the training needs of the personnel who are working and will work in these services. Social care education and training has many of the elements which would help staff from a variety of backgrounds to meet the needs of older people in a more holistic way thus enlarging the possibilities for a fuller life for dependent older people. A social care model would address social, emotional and spiritual needs, would seek to empower older people and provide a more normal atmosphere for residents of nursing homes, sheltered housing and day care centres.