IGSW | Education & Training

A central aim of IGSW is to improve the workforce of professionals caring for older adults by providing opportunities for current B.S.W. and M.S.W. social work practitioners to improve and update their knowledge and skills in working with older adults and family members.

IGSW focuses on developing, providing and supporting training in the content areas listed below. These topics represent areas considered fundamental to practice with older adults, their caregivers, and their families. These core training areas were identified after an extensive review of content in academic programs in gerontology and geriatric social work, a review of existing training programs in gerontological practice, an analysis of the findings of the Council on Social Work Education's research on core competencies in geriatric social work, and findings from focus groups and interviews with social work academics and social work practitioners. Additional training areas will be addressed in the future.

Basic Issues In Aging
Geriatric Assessment
Mental Health Issues
Caring for the Caregivers
Housing and Aging in Place
Legal and Ethical Issues
Diversity and Cultural Competence
Substance and Medication Use and Abuse
End of Life Care
Elder Abuse, Mistreatment and Neglect

We have formed a partnership with the American Society on Aging (ASA) in order to achieve our primary goal of providing training to B.S.W. and M.S.W. social workers across the country in the five-year grant period. ASA is the largest professional organization in the field of aging with over 7,000 members and subscribers to its publications and 3,000-4,000 professionals attending its annual conference.

IGSW also collaborates with a wide range of groups and organizations committed to improving the geriatric education and training of social workers and other health and social service professionals. These partnerships enable the Institute to reach its target audience of practicing social workers and also to disseminate productive and effective models of geriatric education and training to new audiences.