Anti Oppresive Topic
Anti Oppression questions about working with older adults
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AntiOppresion-OlderAdults.docx
AntiOppressivePracticePaperPlanningDocument_Draft1.docx
AntiOppresion-OlderAdults.docx
This is a professionally written, concise, and thorough examination and application of ideas and knowledge gained through your reading, discussion, and research in this course.
Your final paper will be approximately four to six pages in length, will adhere to APA formatting and standards for academic writing and presentation, and will be the culmination of your own reflection, research, and writing.
In this paper please address the following:
· What is anti-oppressive practice (AOP)?
· In your definition/explanation of AOP consider key concepts such as privilege, power, and oppression.
· discuss AOP as a response to privilege and power.
· Bring in course content in your discussion of AOP.
· DO not rely solidly on someone else's definition - show that you understand this as an idea central to SW practice.
· Why is it important for our profession to move forward understanding not only what AOP is, but how to engage in it.
· Here it would be pertinent to provide definitions and to connect ideas with professional ethics and values.
· You should also include some discussion/understanding of the history/legacy of our profession that has not always/does not always mirror anti-oppressive practices: How has social work engaged in system oppression?
· Select one area of practice that is important to you and examine how practice in this area has been complicit in oppression and injustice. TIP: Choose a population/practice space that is important to you professionally.
· you should use scholarly research/peer reviewed sources to comprise this section of your paper
· you will likely have to infer from history and prior "best practices" to discuss what has been complicit in oppression and injustice - this may not be evident in the literature.
· Provide a discussion of what anti-oppression would look like in this same space. Be creative and specific here. This is an opportunity for you to re-imagine facets of social work practice. Explain why this is anti-oppressive.
· Identify three ways in which you will engage in anti-oppressive practice; connect this to learning in the course/readings/modules and, when appropriate, to the specific population/area of practice you have identified.
Your paper should utilize a minimum of seven sources inclusive of those found within the course and those you’ve researched on your own. A mix of journal articles, reflections, opinion essays, books, etc. is appropriate for this paper.
YOUR WORKS CITED PAGE MUST INCLUDE AN ACCURATE WEB LINK TO EACH SOURCE OR YOU MUST UPLOAD A PDF OF THE SOURCE. THIS PROTECTS YOU AS A STUDENT AS IT CUTS DOWN ON USE OF AI GENERATED SOURCES.
NOTE: For this paper you need to hone in on one specific area of practice - this could be child welfare, working with older adults, sport social work, hospice and palliative care, clinical practice with teens, addictions/recovery, housing and homelessness, etc. Your module 10 assignment will serve as an 'approval' of a topic.
AntiOppressivePracticePaperPlanningDocument_Draft1.docx
Anti–Oppressive Practice Paper Planning Document/ Draft
Ja’Mya Wilburn
Department of Social Work, University of Kentucky
SW 521-201: Und Poverty, Inequality, and Injustice
Dr. Smittie
March 30, 2025
Intro
As a current geriatric case manager, working with older adults has been my leading influence during my extended education as an MSW student. I am led to work with older adults as I am a witness to their daily challenges faced including ageism and systemic inequalities. Social work is a profession that emphasizes the importance of advocating for marginalized populations and creates a foundation where social workers can implement anti-oppressive frameworks to empower clients, specifically those who are often overlooked, such as older adults. I want to discuss three main ideas of working with older adults in social work through an anti-oppressive lens which includes
· Ageism: Addressing how ageism limits opportunities for older adults such as in healthcare, denying older adults access to certain services, and treating them as incapable of autonomy.
· Limited access to resources: How systemic barriers , such as economic inequality and lack of transportation can prevent older adults from accessing necessary support services including health care, social services, and community resources which further isolates them.
· Lack of representation: Older adults often lack representation in policy making and program development. This absence can lead to decisions that do not reflect their needs or concerns, perpetuating feelings of neglect and exclusion .
Sources
· “The Impact of Aging Policy on Societal Age Stereotypes and Ageism”
· “Exploring Age-Based Oppression: Adultism, Ageism, and Their Potential Interactions”
· “Nutrition in Aging Chapter 3: Ageism”
APA Citations
· Ng, R., Chow, T. Y. J., & Yang, W. (2021). The impact of aging policy on societal age stereotypes and ageism. https://doi.org
· King, K. D. (2024). Exploring age-based oppression: Adultism, ageism, and their potential interactions. Journal of Social Work, 45(4), 149-159. https://doi.org/10.1177/002214650004500402
· Everitt, T., Yantha, B., Davies, M., & Wadsworth, L. (2021). Chapter 3: Ageism. In Nutrition In Aging
Importance of Sources
· The Impact of Aging Policy on Societal Age Stereotypes and Ageism
This article will be a valuable resource as it provides a systematic review of the existing literature on ageism in health care. Bendayan and Lichtenstein (2021) discuss how ageism can lead to disparities in treatment and care for older adults, which is very critical for social workers to be aware of when working with this specific population. The authors highlight how ageist attitudes can result in disparities in access to care and the quality of treatment that older adults receive. Social workers play a key role in addressing these forms of oppression. The insights from this article can assist with informing my audience of the argument for policy changes and interventions that combat ageism.
· Exploring Age-Based Oppression: Adultism, Ageism, and Their Potential Interactions
The author delves into how ageism and cultism intersect to create unique forms of oppression. The article defines ageism as discrimination based on age, which can lead to marginalization of both younger and older individuals ( King, 2024). King emphasizes the need to understand these dynamics to address the systemic issues of age- based oppression effectively.
· Nutrition in Aging Chapter 3: Ageism
This focuses on how ageism manifests in various aspects of society including the workplace, media representation, as well as healthcare. This highlights negative stereotypes that older adults face and how those perceptions can impact their wellbeing. “ Not only do pervasive ageist attitudes and stereotypes contribute to negative health outcomes, but ageism among healthcare professionals can also result in discriminatory practices that place older people at risk (Everitt,T. et al., 2021). This allows me to go into further detail regarding the domino effect of ageism and how it can impact other elements of society.
Definitions
· Power: The ability to influence outcomes , control resources, and make decisions impacting others and their access to resources.
· Privilege: Unearned advantages given to members of different social groups and is often invisible to those who possess them.
· Oppression: A system combining prejudice and institutional power , resulting in discrimination against certain groups while benefiting others