The revolution of digital technology has “changed the way social workers practice with, and on behalf of, older adults and has enhanced the connection between older adults, caregivers, providers, and the community,” explains Dawn Hobdy, MSW, LICSW, Director of the NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review.
Hobdy will present the breakout session “Ethical Considerations in Social Workers’ Use of Technology with and on Behalf of Older Adults” at the 2017 NASW Virtual Conference, Aging Through the Social Work Lens, which will be live streamed from the NASW national office on June 14 and June 15, 2017.
During the technology breakout session, Hobdy says, she will discuss “how Internet-based technologies and mobile devices are being developed to assist older adults with everything from communication and engagement to health and wellness.”
The social work profession’s need to respond ethically and effectively to changing societal demographics drove NASW’s selection of the 2017 Virtual Conference theme. By the year 2030, one in five people in the United States will be 65 years or older, and population aging is occurring worldwide. The dramatic increase in both the number and the diversity of older adults escalates the visibility of aging issues. Consequently, all social workers, regardless of their area of practice, will need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to serve older adults and their families.
“It is important to attend the NASW Virtual Conference to obtain useful information on how to use technology ethically to enhance services when working with older adults, as well as how to address the ethical challenges that technology presents,” says Hobdy.
For more information on today’s trending topics related to social work in aging, you won’t want to miss NASW’s 2017 NASW Virtual Conference.
