Abstract:

The role of social work in the field of aging is one of advocacy. Implications for the profession flow from the sheer number & proportion of older people in the coming decade & from their changing nature & heterogeneous characteristics. The advocacy role, to be effective, must have hard data to support the value commitment of social work which will assure that well-being, in addition to longevity & life-safety, is the societal goal for the aged. These data should explore the importance of the family as a resource, as well as institutional & community services, & should be placed in an input-output analysis where cost-effectiveness, cost benefit, & social cost are clearly defined.