A social worker can carry out various tasks. Some roles of the social worker are more direct such as being an agitator while others are non-direct such as being a counselor. A social worker does not choose the kind of problem they want to encounter. Hence they must possess a significant amount of skills to address the needs of people, groups, and communities as they arise. Since social problems cannot be viewed in isolation, the social worker needs to make an informed decision. A social worker must possess the ability to focus on all the systems that influence a need for each particular case before deciding on which case to intervene. These special abilities will enable a social worker to understand each situation from three different angles, namely: a family, community, and social. The capabilities will allow the social worker to focus on the problem rather than the methods of intervention. In this work, I will justify why I choose a particular theory on which I will apply to a service user group, discuss its advantages and disadvantages, and how the preferred method is compatible with non-discriminatory practices, the code of practice, and social work values.
For this assignment, I will choose Malcolm as my service user group. The reason for selecting Malcolm is that he is older, and this exposes him to several vulnerabilities. Malcolm has arthritis, and this means he might not be able to carry his daily routines. (Arthritis of the Knee – OrthoInfo – AAOS, 2020) patients of knee arthritis may be in a position where they are unable to carry out various activities such as walking or even climbing stairs. Knee arthritis can be a severe disability problem that leads to loss of working hours makes people lose a lot of working time. Malcolm may not only be suffering from social isolation, but also he may not be able to carry his daily activities such as cleaning or even cooking. In case he is physically unable to walk, that means there is a need for a social worker who will link him to wheelchair providers or any other resources that may facilitate his movement. This wheelchair will assist him in carrying his daily activities without straining. As a social worker who possesses the necessary skills, i will be able to help Malcolm to get help from other service providers such as the local lunch club. The social workers create an essential link between older people and the necessary services that they need (Allen-Meares, 2013).
Malcolm is also vulnerable as he left his cigarettes on and slept something that can lead to a fire outbreak and thus endangering his life. Barker et al. (2016) discovered that a non-actively smoked cigarette had a temperature of about 600o to 7000 Celsius. They also found out that it was capable of burning at the rate of 2-5mm per minute. They found out that smoldering cigarettes combined with oxygen availability, can act as a source of ignition if it comes into contact with another object. The findings mean that if there is no person on the lookout and the behavior of sleeping and leaving cigarettes goes on, a lot of danger is possed to Malcolm.
The fact that Malcolm is socially isolated just after being released from prison means that he requires the service of a community worker for him to have a successful process of re-integration. The situation where an individual is unable to establish meaningful relationships with other people is referred to as social isolation. This social isolation extends to people who have a small number of significant ties (Victor and Smith, 2019). A human being is a social being and is susceptible to increased blood pressure, a weak immune system, and death in severe cases. (Social isolation, loneliness in older people pose health risks, 2020). The effect of arthritis, which may render Malcolm’s movement impossible, may put him at a higher risk of the same. Malcolm needs to have meaningful, productive activities that will boost his moods, create a sense of purpose, and hence he will live longer. There is a need for intervention from a social worker who will work towards engaging Malcolm in activities that will make him socialize with others to build some confidence within himself and to get out of the isolation and be able to live like any right-minded citizen.
A theory is a general principle that explains a phenomenon. Social work theories refer to policies that explain human behavior supported by scientific obtained methods (Theories Used in Social Work Practice & Practice Models, 2020). An argument is used in predicting situations, actions, and consequences and is identical to the hypothesis, presumption, speculation, belief, and idea. Since social workers aim to help individuals to overcome any predicament they might be facing in their environment, there is a need for them to possess a deep understanding of the hardships and difficulties of working in different systems. Social workers use established theories to explain human conduct, collective functioning, and establishment of social order, among others (Teater, 2014). The groundwork of social work and practice was formed on social work theories that provide thoughtful clarification and prediction of human conduct, social organization, and interactions. The arguments also act as a guide throughout the social work practice from the early stages of assessment, headed for selection and evaluation of interventions. They also assist social workers in deciding the termination of his or her services to a client.
In determining the best theory and method to apply to Malcolm, I must consider how I will get him involved, how I will improve the relationship with him, the entire process of intervention, and the techniques as well as my roles in the whole process. A theory will try to determine the occurrence while a method is what I will do. The psychosocial approach will be necessary for Malcolm’s case. Malcolm’s problem is not only internal but also has been contributed by a breakdown of interaction between him and the social environment. Two psychosocial theories, namely: disengagement theory, which was proposed by Cumming and Henry (1961), and the activity theory proposed by Robert J. Havighurst (1961), will be studied in-depth to check their applicability to Malcolm’s case.
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Disengagement theory posits that there is mutual withdraw of relationships as older adults voluntarily slow down by retiring. The ties that remain active between the elderly with the society while those that remain deteriorates in quality. Due to the severing relationship between older individuals and the community, meaningful interaction between them is hard to come by. Lack of physical strength also contributes significantly to social isolation as old individuals reduce their participation in various activities. Older people tend to develop self-centeredness as their retirement from societal activities makes them be freed from societal norms (Bernard, 2013). The process of disengagement from society will continue taking place as individuals consider themselves to be too old to be taking part in communal activities. This disengagement process will reach a critical component where reduced interaction with the other members of the society will force individuals to be more involved with themselves. This self-involvement will make the old individuals perceive life as short. This self-involvement makes them evaluate his life before their death.
People cannot avoid aging, which makes mutual withdrawal or disengagement inevitable (Cumming and Henry, 1961). Regardless of their physical health or their level of interaction of the elderly aging is unavoidable. Due to a lack of self-belief of matching with the younger individual, the elderly will finally distance themselves from others. It is usual for the aged to free themselves from others since they are unable to match the physical ability of their counterparts. The elderly concentrate more on self-stimulation rather than social interaction and approval of others. This feeling of decreased social interaction is expressed as a mutual process by disengagement theory—both the society and the elderly consent to the withdrawal state. The theory’s focus on aging is similar to the developmental approach, which states that at old age, people portray distinctive characteristics just like other phases of the lifecycle. The process of disengagement is global. However, the initiation phase is subjected to the aspects of a particular culture. Although the ongoing discussions about aging are silent on the issue of death as the end of aging, death expectation is universal.
Malcolm needs the care of asocial work as he is struggling to take care of himself. His cigarettes are smoking incidences to the issue of self-isolation. Older people should be taken care of as this is as important as treatment. This care should be given by skilled staff who have engaged others, and thus they recognize the exact requirements for the aged and have time to care (https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/safe-comp-care.pdf). This implies that the aged in society should be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity by the social worker. The notion that a person’s disconnection from the community was unavoidable, reasonable, or beneficial has led to the development of critiques of disengagement theory. The evaluations believe that the withdrawal process of aging people is voluntary. They further argue that external factors may also lead to social withdrawal of any individual at any stage of life (Disengagement Theory of Aging: A Critical Essay – your-writers.net | Blog, 2020). The failure to acknowledge that changes in an individual’s economic or health condition may influence the withdrawal.
Havighurst 1961 developed the activity theory of aging, which opposes the disengagement theory. The theory postulates that significant social engagement will keep aging individuals physically healthy and active (Mosby, 2016). The theorists believe that their level of participation in activities determines a person’s satisfaction. A person satisfaction will positively impact on how they view themselves which in turn affects future life adjustments. The theory differs from disengagement notion that social detachment is an adaptive response to aging where the aged will drop societal roles and uphold their feeling of self-worth. The activity perspective is based on the interactionist theory, which argues that an individual’s identity is determined by their interaction with others and their surroundings. Individual’s behavior, thought patterns, and the aging process, according to the theory, is influenced by the interaction they have with others. According to the theorists who hold the activity theory of aging thought, they believe that the social withdrawal experienced by the developing individual is contrary to their need as they possess mental and social requirements as the middle-aged people. The theory posited that individuals would experience low- self-confidence, humiliation, and isolation when they are forced into social withdrawal by either retirement or inability to participate in activities.
The theory holds that a successfully aged individual will remain active through the middle age and will replace the lost roles in society with other productive tasks as they age. This replacement may be achieved through participation in social activities, volunteering or becoming a member of communal groups (Diggs, 2008) People who exhibit happiness in all the stages of their lives are said to be more active than others. The theory argues that life satisfaction is not only dependent on the quantity of activity but also the type and quality of the event. Sustained intimate interpersonal activity is more beneficial to an individual’s positive self-concept as it increases the opportunities for reinforcement.
Critiques of this theory argue that finding a replacement for the lost roles and social position to maintain life satisfaction is difficult. This can be supported by the fact that aging individuals may lack the physical and cognitive ability to participate in such activities (Wise, 2010). Aging people may find it challenging to maintain employment and also finances to seek alternative activities. Advancement in technology makes it difficult for aging individuals to keep pace with new trends as they may find it challenging to learn new skills.
However, all is not lost as the aging people can maintain their active lifestyle if they are engaged in meaningful roles that can be created through timely retirement preparation, backing from family members, and expansion of social programs.
Failure to consider other factors like socioeconomic status, and lifestyle characteristics that may have a significant influence on the connection between activity and life gratification has led to the growth of criticism of the theory. These factors should be taken into consideration as aging people’s differences mean that they portray different preferences of activities. For example, the people who exhibit low financial muscles may be overburdened by participation in certain activities, thus reducing their satisfaction from the event. Cultural and other individual factors also dictate the type of activities a person will get the highest satisfaction after participating.
Meaningful activities are more beneficial to individuals (Loue, 2008). If an individual must engage in meaningful activities, failure to which it will lead to the development of negative consequences. Studies have shown that an individual belief that they are socially integrated, which may be far from the actual social integration can lead to self-satisfaction. There exist a formula for all which is formed on the basis that an individual’s perception and preferences. Based on this fact, individuals should only participate in activities that suites them best.
Activity theory and disengagement theories are two opposing theories. However, they have some similarities. Both theories focus on the effects of aging, mental, social, and physical abilities on a person’s life. Although they hold different notions on what happens when a person ages out, both theories have a fixed determination of outcomes. (Thompson and Kaye, 2013) argued that staying active delays aging as it determines a healthier lifestyle, thus making individuals to age healthily.