Naturally, death and dying is also a biological change that occurs in later adulthood. As older adults age, they may
experience diseases that impact their already vulnerable organ and immune systems such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and
cardiovascular issues. They may die painlessly at home surrounded by the support of many loved ones, or may suffer
severe pain for months before dying in a health facility with little social support.
In either case, it is possible that many
health and helping professionals interact with the dying person and their family. Social workers in particular play a key
role, working to ensure that the individual’s wishes are honored and that the death is dignified.
For this Assignment, you examine the social worker’s role in the many aspects that accompany end-of-life planning and care.
Submit a 2- to 4-page paper that analyzes the role of the social worker in helping to plan end-of-life care.
Include possible consideration of palliative care, euthanasia, hospice care, the living will and advanced directives, and
other factors.
Use the Learning Resources and at least one additional peer-reviewed research article to support your
analysis. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.
Resources –
Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social
environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Chapter 14, “Biological Aspects of Later Adulthood” (pp. 642–671)
Nelson, T. D. (2016). Promoting healthy aging by confronting ageism. Links to an external site. American Psychologist, 71(4), 276–282
Ricks-Aherne, E. S., Wallace, C. L., & Kusmaul, N. (2020). Practice considerations for trauma-informed care at end of life. Links to an external site. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 16(4), 313–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/15524256.2020.1819939
Rine, C. M. (2018). Is social work prepared for diversity in hospice and palliative care? Links to an external site. Health
and Social Work, 43(1), 41–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/hsw/hlx048
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