MSW 531

Readings

McInnis-Dittrich, K. (2020).  Social work with older adults: A biopsychosocial approach to assessment and intervention (5th ed.). Pearson.

· Chapter 14: Income Programs, Health Insurance, and Support Services for Older Adults: Challenges and Opportunities

Ferraro, K., & Wilmoth, J. (Eds.) (2013).  Gerontology: Perspectives and Issues (4th ed.). Springer.

· Chapter 11: Politics and Policy in the Lives of Older Americans

· Chapter 12: The Role of Public Policy in Meeting the Needs of Diverse Aging Populations

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Guidelines   * 4 pages**

1. Explore A Federal Policy That Affects Older Adults.

2. What is the history of this policy? How Have Political Forces Shaped this policy? Does it Help Older Adults, Hinder Them, or Both?

3. What Values are Embodied in this Policy, and does it Account for the Current and Future Realities of the Older US Population?

4. Conclude by making Recommendations for how you would Improve this Policy.

The Policy you choose to Examine does not Necessarily need to be Targeted Toward Older Adults, but it must have a Differentially Large impact on them. You will also Need to explore the Differential Effects of the Policy on Minority or Marginalized Communities within the Older Population, whether Positive or Negative. When describing the History of the Policy, do not focus only on the Formation of the Policy and its Impact over time, but also on the Larger History of the issue it addresses Leading up to it, such as the Poverty of Older Adults during the Great Depression.

For Information on this Policy, you may Need to go beyond the Social Work and Gerontology Literature and seek Resources in Political Science Journals, such as the  Journal of Public Policy, the  Journal of Policy History, and  Policy and Society.

Grading Criteria

graded on inclusion of all assigned elements of each category Below, depth of analysis and logical relevance of recommendations, cultural awareness of differential impacts.

Category		Description
History of Policy		Includes the economic, political and cultural context of its inception, and the reasons for changes from then until now.
Analysis of Pros and Cons		Policy analysis uses evidence to demonstrate the positive and negative impacts on older adults with attention to inequalities across groups.
Recommendation		Recommendations for policy improvement are grounded in the above analysis and may apply to policy design and/or implementation.