Select one published article from any of the University

 Select one published article from any of the University online databases listed under the Library tab, or from the Recommended Websites listed for this course, addressing the current issue of the aging adult. The aging population has issues such as being a parenting grandparent, aging, and levels of care, what constitutes successful aging, non-traditional retirement, healthcare costs, financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, and substance abuse in aging. Examine how human service professionals are addressing these issues with the aging population in the article. Write a paper that includes a brief summary of the article, the service delivery explored in the article, information about how human service professionals are addressing the issues identified in the article, and your analysis of the recommendations for service delivery as outlined in the article. Your paper should be  1,500 words in length and be based on an article from 2011 to present. You are required to use APA (6th ed.) formatting for in-text citations and references.

Resources Below

References

Collins, W. L. (2011). Culturally Competent Practices: Working with Older African Americans in Rural Communities. Social Work & Christianity, 38(2), 201–217. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=63899136&site=eds-live&scope=site

Culturally Competent Practices: Working with Older African Americans in Rural Communities Wanda Lott Collins This article discusses why culturally competent skills are important for agency administrators, human service providers, and social work practitioners to work effectively with African American elders living in rural communities. Education in cultural competence can enable practitioners to adopt culturally sensitive practices and solutions to clients’ problems and avoid stereotypes and biases that can undermine their efforts in addressing the specific needs of rural African American elders. Several culturally competent practices, including acknowledging spirituality and religion, are shared from the author’s professional experience as a service provider. As the U. S. population ages, the Bureau of the Census data indicates the face of aging is changing dramatically (National Institute on Aging, 2006). The older population (65 +) is projected to double from 36 million in 2003 to 72 million in 2030. In 2003, there were 35.9 million people age 65 and older (12 percent of the total population). Ages 65 to 74 represented 18.3 million of the older population, 12.9 million were aged 75 to 84, and 4.7 million were 85 and older (U.S. Census, 2005). According to the U. S. Census Bureau projections, a substantial increase in the number of older people will occur when the Baby Boom generation (people born between 1946 and 1964) begins to turn 65 in PRACTICE NOTES Social Work & Christianity, Vol. 38, No. 2 (2011), 201-217 Journal of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work 202 SOCIAL WORK & CHRISTIANITY 2011. Likewise, the 85 and older age group is projected to grow rapidly after 2030, when the Baby Boomers begin to move into this age group (U. S. Census, 2005). By 2050, those aged 85 and older are projected to double—from 4.7 million in 2003 to 9.6 million in 2030—and to double again to 20.9 million in 2050 (U.S. Census , 2005). The 65 and over population is not only increasing in size, but also in diversity. In 2003, non-Hispanic Whites accounted for nearly 83 percent of the 65 and over population, Blacks represented 8 percent, Hispanics, 6 percent, and Asians, 3 percent. It is projected by 2050 that the elderly population (over age 65), will be represented by 61 percent non-Hispanic Whites, almost 18 percent Hispanics, 8 percent Asians, and 11 percent Blacks (U.S. Administration on Aging, 2009; U. S. Census, 2005). Furthermore, at least one-fifth of the growing older population lives in rural areas, presenting the social work profession with a variety of challenges (Coburn & Bolda, 2001). In general, compared to urban elders, rural elders are more likely to have lower incomes, face disparities in health-care services, and have less access to transportation and social services providers (Coburn & Bolda, 2001; NACRHHS Report, 2004; Rogers, 2000). When these rural older adults are then also African American, they are especially burdened. Income. Many elderly individuals are faced with the reality that a lifetime of work does not guarantee retirement years free of poverty. The National Institute on Aging (2006), revealed that 3.5 percent of older, non-Hispanic, White, married-couple families lived in poverty, compared with 10.7 percent of older, non-Hispanic, White men living alone and 16.9 percent of older, non-Hispanic, White women living alone. In comparison, among older Blacks, 12.4 percent of those in married-couple families lived in poverty. The poverty data covering 2003 showed that 26.4 percent of older Black men living alone lived in poverty and 40.3 percent of older Black women who lived alone lived in poverty. African American elders are therefore in a disadvantaged position in terms of poverty rates (National Institute on Aging, 2006). The Administration on Aging (2009) indicates that in 2007, households containing families headed by Black persons aged 65+ reported a median income of $32,025. The comparable figure for all older households was $41,851. The median personal income for Black men was $16,074 and $11,578 for Black women. The comparable figures for all elderly were $24,323 for men and $14,021 for women. The poverty rate in 2007 for Black elderly (65 and older) was 23%, which was more  203 than twice the rate for all elderly (9.7%). Other findings show elderly rural residents are also less likely to have sources of retirement income, financial savings, ownership of supplemental insurance policies, and other assets (Rogers, 2000; Coburn & Bolda, 2001). Health care. The increasing number of older persons and their need for health care services is another area of concern. Only about 10 percent of physicians practice in rural America, despite the fact  204 SOCIAL WORK & CHRISTIANITY Overall, social and economic barriers are likely to impact the general well-being of elderly African Americans living in rural areas and impede their access to goods, services, and information. Therefore, as the population of elders grows, it is important for professional helpers to provide appropriate services and gain an understanding about rural adults who could be different from themselves relative to service needs, culture, class or ethnic background, religion, or racial