Social Workers’ Encounters with Elder Abuse and Neglect: Giving Meaning to Their Experiences

Abstract This article examines Israeli social workers’ experiences of their encounters with elder abuse survivors and its impact on professional and personal aspects in the social workers’ lives. Participants were seventeen experienced women social workers, who intervened with elder abuse and neglec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The British journal of social work 2021-03, Vol.51 (2), p.564-582
Main Authors: Band-Winterstein, Tova, Goldblatt, Hadass, Alon, Sara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult abuse & neglect
Helping professionals
Pain
Professional relationships
Qualitative research
Social workers
Survivor
Women
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Summary:Abstract This article examines Israeli social workers’ experiences of their encounters with elder abuse survivors and its impact on professional and personal aspects in the social workers’ lives. Participants were seventeen experienced women social workers, who intervened with elder abuse and neglect. Data were collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data analysis revealed three main themes: (i) ‘Sensing the Pain’: Exposure to the Complexity of Clients’ Life-Long Suffering; (ii) Taking Home the Pain: Social Workers Dwelling with the Sensitivity of the Encounter with Elder Abuse and (iii) ‘Caring for Them, and Letting Them Be Part of My World’: The Encounter as Resonating in Social Workers’ Professional and Personal Life Domains. Social workers’ experiences of complex, sensitive encounters with elder abuse survivors appear to be a multidimensional challenge, involving both burden and growth. This notion can leverage the client–helping professional relationship, thus enriching and shaping social workers’ personal and professional worlds.
ISSN:0045-3102
1468-263X
DOI:10.1093/bjsw/bcaa165