Key Findings

1. The social work profession is a significant, experienced provider of frontline services to older adults and their families.
2. The social work profession is facing significant obstacles in terms of recruiting "the next generation" to provide services to older adults.
3. The social work profession will need to identify incentives to retain the current workforce providing services to older adults.
4. Older adults in rural areas have significant service needs, yet have limited access to professional frontline social work services.
5. Social work caseloads depict an increasingly complex mix of needs of older adults
6. Social workers face increased barriers in providing services to older adults.
7. The social work profession needs to recruit and train more gerontological social workers.
8. Gerontological social workers bring increased knowledge, experience and sense of efficacy to their work with older adults.
9. Gerontological social workers provide an important safety net of services to the most vulnerable older adults.
10. Gerontological social workers face greater challenges than other social workers providing services to older adults, hindering their satisfaction and retention in the field.

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