Australian social work research on ageing and aged care: A scoping review

Abstract

Little is known about the quantity, nature and range of Australian social work research on ageing and aged care. This scoping review involved a comprehensive search of seven online bibliographic databases. The review identified 108 peer-reviewed journal articles, published between January 2007 and June 2014, that reported Australian social work research on ageing and aged care. Findings: The average number of authors per paper was 2.10 with most social work researchers co-authoring papers with non-social workers. The main topics of research focus were health and rehabilitation, elder abuse, asset management, community services and caregiving, housing and residential aged care, and ageing with an intellectual disability. The findings highlight the contribution social work researchers make to multidisciplinary gerontological research, and to understanding the lived experiences of older people and the provision of services. However, they also point to the relative paucity of research focusing on direct social work practice with older people, and the little evidence of the participation of older people and carers in the design and delivery of research. Applications: The findings indicate the need for capacity-building strategies, such as developing networks of Australian social work researchers on ageing and aged care, to improve research outputs in this area.

Research reported in the AJA: Who does it and where do they do it?

“…Although possibly included in multidisciplinary and health research centres, authors from social work and social policy, and other social sciences, including demography, economics and statistics, were a small minority (5%), and even fewer came from environmental, design and technology disciplines (3%). While the question arises as to whether researchers from these fields publish in discipline‐specific journals, the recent scoping review of Australian social work research on ageing and aged care suggests that this is not the case . That review, covering 53 journals over the period 2007–2014, found that the AJA led, with 13% of the 108 articles identified.…”

“…Finally, while the present review has been limited by its focus on the “who” and “where” of ageing research, its short time span and restriction to publication in the AJA, the findings provide grounds for further analysis of the content, methods and rationales of ageing research published in a wider array of journals to answer the “what,” “how” and “why” questions. A comprehensive account could be compiled through a large‐scale single review or a series of co‐ordinated scoping reviews or meta‐analyses by major fields, along the lines of social work review by Hughes et al, or by research designs; a recent synthesis review of international longitudinal qualitative research in gerontology points to the value of a similar account of the output of Australian longitudinal studies over the last two decades as a foundation for further research, whether longitudinal or cross‐sectional.…”

“…The initiatives have generated a substantial increase in the volume of publication in peer‐reviewed journals, yet none have been informed by, or produced, a systematic analysis of ageing research in Australia overall or in different fields. The notable exception is the 2018 scoping review of ageing research in social work, which was driven by the need for a stronger research base to inform practice and support the development of a skilled workforce . The lack of a consolidated account of this metric of research output means that the very evidence base needed to shape the continuing ageing research endeavour overall, and its disciplinary components, is wanting.…”

Struggles of Older Workers at the Labour Market

“…Additionally, they aim to demonstrate the advantages that could be gained from the critical analysis of positive ageing, especially because government institutions and representatives on all levels seem to prefer such ageing policy, which tries to subordinate the social needs of elderly to the needs of economic growth and labour market (Hughes et al, 2016).…”

Research Engagement and Impact: Challenges and Opportunities

“…practitioner-academic research partnerships to help build the stock of knowledge about what works in social work practice (e.g., Joubert & Hocking, 2015). Nonetheless, there remains a dearth of service user-led social work research in Australia (e.g., Hughes, Bigby, & Tilbury, 2016). Inclusion of service users as "research end user" panel members for the ERA assessment of engagement and impact may prompt some change in this direction.…”