Social Group Work with Older Adults

Joanne Sulman, MSW, RSW, discusses social group work with older adults. Sulman brings many years of experience as a social worker and research associate specializing in social work with groups. Sulman outlines the development of social work with groups, social group work’s unique strengths, and its relevance and efficacy with the older adult population.
Joanne Sulman MSW, RSW: Research Analyst, Thoracic Surgery, Toronto General Hospital; Research Affiliate, Institute for Life Course & Aging, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
0:00 Introduction
1:02 What is Social Work with Groups?
5:47 How is Social Group Work Unique?
7:13 Examples of Social Group Work with Older Adults
9:35 Specific Case Examples of Social Group Work from the Literature
15:00 Loss of Group Work Methods
17:34 International Association for Social Work with Groups and Final Thoughts
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"The Bachelor," painted by William Kurelek was graciously provided by the Estate of William Kurelek, courtesy of the Wynick/Tuck Art Gallery, Toronto and the Art Gallery of Ontario.
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References:
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Breton, M. (2004). An empowerment perspective. In C. Garvin, L. Gutierrez, and M. Galinsky (Eds.), Handbook of Social work with groups. New York: Guilford Press, 58-75.
Breton, M. (2006). Path Dependence and the Place of Social Action in Social Work Practice. Social Work with Groups, Vol. 29(4), 25-44.
Breton, M. (2010). Solidarity and group work responsibility to connect groups to communities. Paper presented at The Toronto Region Group Workers Network: A Group Work Practice Showcase, October 22nd.
Chan, S.M. & O’Connor, D.L. (2008). pp. 1-19 Finding a Voice: The Experiences of Chinese Family Members Participating in Family Support Groups. Social Work with Groups, Vol. 31(2), 117-135.
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Lang, N. C. (2016). Nondeliberative forms of practice in social work: Artful, actional, analogic. Social work with groups, 39(2-3), 97-117.
Lang, N.C. & Sulman, J. (1987). Collectivity in Social Group Work: Concept and Practice. New York: The Haworth Press.
Middleman, R. R. (1968) The Non-Verbal Method of Working with Groups, Association Press.
Papell, C. P. (2015). Experiencing aging: A social group worker’s self-reflection. Social Work with Groups, 38(3-4), 371-381. doi:10.1080/01609513.2014.950941
Richmond, M.E. (1917). Social Diagnosis. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
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Steinberg, Dominique Moyse. (2014) A Mutual-Aid Model for Social work with groups, 3rd ed. New York: Routledge. (See pp. 25-39 for Nine Dynamics of Mutual Aid).
Sullivan, N.E., Sulman, J., & Nosko, A. (Eds.) (2016). Special Issue on Nondeliberative Forms of Practice: Activities and Creative Arts. Social work with groups, 39, 2-3, pp. 93-273.
Sulman, J., Fletcher, J., Gayler, C., Sokolsky, A. (1986). A collectivity of impaired elderly in an acute care hospital (1986). Social Work with Groups, 9 (4), 45-58.
White-Campbell, M, Campbell, B., Sullivan, N.E., Vindel, H. (2016). Use of Nondeliberative Practice in Groups for Older Adults with Substance Use and Mental Health Disorder: Group in an Art Gallery. Social Work with Groups, 39 (2-3), 246-259.