16 #MacroSW Chat

by Patricia Shelly

(Here is the archive of all the tweets from this chat)

What does healthy aging and productivity look like in the 21^st century? Baby boomers are retiring later, millennials are starting families and technology continuously offers new ways to delegate tasks.

One Grand Challenges for Social Work paper explained the trends as follows:

“Increased automation and longevity demand new thinking by employers and employees regarding productivity. Young people are increasingly disconnected from education or work and the labor force faces significant retirements in the next decades. Throughout the lifespan, fuller engagement in education and paid and unpaid productive activities can generate a wealth of benefits, including better health and well-being, greater financial security, and a more vital society.”

Man with white hair in clear goggles and blue cape raises fist, as does his young male sidekick in goggles and red cape. — Superhero and sidekick. Image: Beth Johnson Foundation

The challenge of reshaping social expectations, institutions, policies, and programs so we can benefit from the older population and its growing social capital is more important than ever.

Join us on Thursday, October 6, 2016, at 9pm ET, 8pm CT and 6pm PT:

We’ll chat about how ways to increase ongoing engagement with and productivity by our older Americans.

Hosts:
Pat Shelly, University at Buffalo School of Social Work @UBSSW
Mikhail Bell, representing the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare @AASWSW

Questions for Discussion:

Why is increasing productive engagement in later life a Grand Challenge for Social Work?
What is productive aging?
How does productive engagement benefit society?
How can social work lead the way with this challenge?
What are some examples of productive engagement for later life? Any from your community?
Do you have new ideas or visions for a productive later life?

RESOURCES

Teresa Minja speaks out at the U.N. on the need for a convention on the rights of older people. Image: Help Age International

white woman with white hair and big black sunglassed in night club in front of turntable. — Mamy Rock, a British DJ in her 70’s, made appearances across Europe. Image: SPOA films

About #MacroSW:

#MacroSW is a collaboration of social workers, organizations, social work schools, and individuals working to promote macro social work practice. Macro social work practice focuses on changing larger systems, such as communities and organizations. It encompasses a broad spectrum of actions and ideas, ranging from community organizing and education to legislative advocacy and policy analysis. The chats are held weekly on Twitter every Thursday at 9 p.m. EST (6 p.m. PST). Click here for a list of chat partners. For information about how to participate in the #MacroSW chat, view our FAQs. For chat schedule and chat archives check out: http://macrosw.com.

How Will We End Homelessness? #MacroSW Chat June 9

Update: Chat Transcript Available!

Nearly 1.49 million people—approximately one in every 200 Americans—will experience homelessness for at least one night (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2013). While there are policies, plans and research to support that we can end homelessness, there are still obstacles, both legislatively and people’s willingness to adapt approaches, in ameliorating this problem.

Ending homelessness, rather than just managing this, is a goal our government and other organizations hope to attain and also one of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW) Grand Challenges for Social Work.

Join us for the #MacroSW chat on Thursday, June 9 at 9 pm EST (6 pm Pacific) co-hosted with AASWSW for a conversation about ending homelessness.

Social workers will play a pivotal role in addressing homelessness which has multiple complexities such as serious mental illness, addiction and poverty and impacts specific vulnerable populations including, but not limited to, veterans and youth. Also, creating the right policies and laws will make a difference.

Last week, The Washington Post reported more cities are passing laws against camping, panhandling and public drinking as a way to push people who are homeless out of city centers while at the same time not offering affordable housing solutions and limited shelter options. This approach perpetuates a cycle of homelessness and hinders one’s ability to maintain employment. To fight back lawsuits have been filed on behalf of those who are homeless and unjustly prosecuted.

For this chat we’ll discuss the following questions.

How are efforts to end homelessness connected to social work?
What are the social, economic and other benefits of ending homelessness?
How does homelessness affect families and children, both in the short- and long-term?
What are some successful efforts to end homelessness that you can share?
Where can I learn more about homelessness?

Resources

End Homelessness Paper, AASWSW Grand Challenges for Social Work

The Graying of America’s Homeless, New York Times

How Can We End Homelessness in the U.S.?, Atlantic

Sweeps Illustrate Inhuman Treatment of Homeless and Vulnerable (Huffington Post) (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-woodliffstanley-/move-along-to-where-sweep_b_9432928.html)

National Coalition for the Homeless offers factsheets and publications.

Cities v. the Homeless, Washington Post

About #MacroSW:

Grand Challenges #MacroSW Chat – Social Isolation on 5/12/16

Click here to read the chat transcript.

Join the next in a series of #MacroSW Chats about the Grand Challenges from the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. Our chat on Thursday, May 12 at 9:00 PM EST will be co-hosted by the AASWSW (@AASWSWorg) and Laurel Hitchcock (@laurelhitchcock), focusing on social isolation.

Social isolation is correlated with an array of negative health outcomes. It can happen at any age but is more common among older adults. Social isolation is a silent killer—as dangerous to health as smoking. According to a 2013 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study, social isolation was associated with a more than 25 percent likelihood of premature death.

Eradicating social isolation represents one of the 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) announced by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare earlier this year.

Our May 12th Twitter chat will discuss questions related to this critical issue such as:

What are the health and other effects of social isolation?
What are the most important risk factors for social isolation?
What are innovative strategies for reducing social isolation and increasing social engagement?
What is the role of social work in reducing social isolation?

Further reading on Social Isolation