DOCSLIB.ORG

Connecting with the Community

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Connecting with the Community BridgesUNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK / WINTER 2019 CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY WINTER 2019 BRIDGES a On CONTENTS FEATURES Q&A with Dean Farmer ....................... 6 photos taken by Aimee Colabine Beattie Connecting with Bridges the Community ............................ 8–15 Bridges is the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work magazine. We selected the name Bridges largely because of its symbolism. The term provides an important metaphor ON THE COVER for both our profession and our school. Social work is a profession that has, as part of its mission, the goal of Inside pages 8–15 photos taken by Aimee Colabine Beattie building and sustaining bridges among individuals, families, groups, neighborhoods, and communities, and we felt that the title Bridges captured this part of our professional mission. At the same time, the city of Pittsburgh has DEPARTMENTS more than 450 bridges, and Allegheny County has almost Dean’s Message ..............................1 2,000, suggesting an uncompromising desire of the School News .................................. 2 city’s inhabitants to remain connected with one another. CRSP Update ............................... 16 In keeping with this heritage, it is the school’s goal to sustain and build bridges among those needing social Development and Alumni News ........... 19 work services; our students, alumni, faculty, and staff; the Faculty Notes ............................... 22 community; and corporate and governmental partners. We believe that the information in this magazine is an important way to achieve this goal. NOTE: We sincerely apologize for the inadvertent omission of Bobby Simmons, director of career services, from the faculty listing in the school’s 100th anniversary section in CONTRIBUTORS the summer 2018 issue of Bridges. PUBLISHED BY THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Editor .................... Elizabeth M.Z. (Betsy) Farmer, Dean Assistant Editor ......................... Rosemary A. Rinella 2117 Cathedral of Learning 4200 Fifth Avenue OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY Pittsburgh, PA 15260 COMMUNICATIONS Editor ..................................... Marygrace Reder 412-624-6304 Editorial Associate ................... Sarah Jordan Rosenson socialwork.pitt.edu Writer ..........................................Adam Reger Printed on Art Director ............................. Amy Porta Kleebank environmentally responsible paper. Production Manager .........................Chuck Dinsmore PLEASE RECYCLE. Bridges magazine is published biannually and is sent to alumni and friends of The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. Published in cooperation with the Office of University Communications. 111538-0119 b SOCIALWORK.PITT.EDU On DEAN’S MESSAGE Dear alumni and friends, It’s hard to believe that I am already artists, or watching children giggle as they finishing my first term as dean of the squeeze “rubber” frogs cast from seaweed). University of Pittsburgh School of Social For those of you who live or work in the Work. Over the past few months, I have Pittsburgh area, the center is open to all, had the privilege of meeting many of you so please feel free to stop by. at one of our school- or center-sponsored lectures or events, at our Distinguished On the research side, we recently launched Alumni event, at a social work conference, the school’s latest center, the Center for over lunch or coffee, or as I have been Interventions to Enhance Community Health visiting local community agencies. It’s been (CiTECH), an ambitious interdisciplinary truly wonderful getting to know everyone effort between the School of Social Work here—the students, faculty, and staff and the Department of Psychiatry led by within the school as well as our rich James and Noel Browne Endowed Chair network of alumni, partners, and Shaun Eack. CiTECH addresses a core collaborators within Pitt, Pittsburgh, and challenge for social work in the 21st century: the broader world. I have thoroughly translating research- and evidence-based rallies, reaching out in every direction, and enjoyed getting to interact with folks within interventions into real-world practice to working unfailingly together. In the face of the Cathedral of Learning and have improve treatments and interventions with the hate, division, and violence that seem especially enjoyed the opportunities to those who need them most. much too common in our society, I am so begin getting a sense of our connections glad to be part of a school and community and opportunities in the broader community. I am not the only new addition to the grounded in social justice, human dignity, It has been fabulous to see all that is school this year. We also welcomed new social connections, and the importance of happening around us and how connected Assistant Professor Brianna Lombardi, doing all we can to make the world a better the school is to so much of it! This issue of whose work examines the impact of childhood place. Thanks to all of you for being part of Bridges highlights some of the wonderful victimization and adversity on children’s this extended community and bearers of work that is going on. mental health outcomes. The MSW this set of values and beliefs. program at the University of Pittsburgh at One of the factors that drew me to Pitt was Johnstown also welcomed a new program As we come to the end of 2018, I wish you its strong investment and involvement in coordinator, James Andrews, who brings all a new year filled with passion, hope, the community. This term showed us the more than 30 years of experience as a purpose, and joy. strength of Pittsburgh and the wonderful clinical/forensic social worker, therapist, connections between the city and the administrator, risk manager, consultant, Please stay in touch: Follow us on social University. In mid-October, we celebrated and educator. media, visit our Web site, or join us for the grand opening of Pitt’s first Community an event on campus. And you can always Engagement Center in Homewood. The As most of you are quite aware, we also reach us at socialwork.pitt.edu. We welcome opening itself was an example of all that is experienced tragedy this fall with the anti- your input and support! wonderful about being intertwined with Semitic attack at the Tree of Life synagogue the community around us—a highly in Squirrel Hill. As we came together to diverse group of people coming together support each other, our students, and the to celebrate new possibilities, to enjoy broader community, I was awed by the learning from each other, and to just have passion, devotion, expertise, generosity, fun (it’s hard not to have fun when you’re and genuine goodness of our school. wearing virtual reality goggles to learn I am particularly grateful for our faculty, Elizabeth M.Z. (Betsy) Farmer about cat anatomy, dancing together staff, and students who took the lead in Dean, University of Pittsburgh to drums, admiring paintings by local providing counseling services, organizing School of Social Work WINTER 2019 BRIDGES 1 SCHOOL NEWS PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS BASW PROGRAM Undergraduate Summer Research Program Continues to Attract Scholars Through the generous support of the Office of the Provost, six undergraduate social work students were selected to work alongside research-engaged faculty members and were supported with a $1,000 fellowship this past summer. BASW students Rowan Connelly, Teresa DePace, Julia Lee, Emily Patrick, Ari Peck, and Elizabeth Steiner were selected to participate in the summer research fellowship program. To learn more about undergraduate research opportunities, visit socialwork.pitt.edu/researchtraining/undergraduate-research. Student’s Workshop Selected for Conference BASW student Brandon Thomas was selected to present his workshop, Quick to Judge: Removing the Stigma, at the 2018 National Association of Social Workers Pennsylvania Chapter Conference. Thomas, who also works as a patient care techni- cian in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, developed the workshop to help attendees identify stigmas health care providers have toward patients with either mental health or addiction issues, primarily those presenting to an emergency room. ■ MSW PROGRAM he Master of Social Work (MSW) program celebrated 126 new MSW graduates during the April 28, 2018, commencement ceremony at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial THall & Museum. Of those students, 25 completed all the requirements for the Community, Organization, and Social Action Student Receives Honors College Fellowship (COSA) specialization and 101 completed the requirements for BASW student Sarah Krause has been awarded one of 10 the Direct Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups Chancellor’s Undergraduate Teaching Fellowships through the specialization. Each of these graduates is now prepared with the University Honors College. She will be collaborating with Associate specialized competencies to engage in advanced social work Professor Rafael Engel to expand on the topic of 19th-century practice. We wish these newly minted MSW graduates the best of European immigration to the United States in the Foundations luck as they begin their professional social work careers. of the Welfare State course. She will focus on the history of intergenerational assimilation of European immigrants in the United The 2018–19 Academic Year class consists of 177 registered States and how immigration policies have evolved over time. She students. Of those students,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Understanding Barriers to Quality of Care
    Understanding barriers to quality of care An approach for conducting a situational analysis of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and quality in health care facilities Contact: Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Unit Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health World Health Organization 20, avenue Appia 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/en/ Understanding barriers to quality of care An approach for conducting a situational analysis of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and quality in health care facilities Understanding barriers to quality of care: an approach for conducting a situational analysis of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and quality in health care facilities ISBN 978-92-4-002257-7 (electronic version) ISBN 978-92-4-002258-4 (print version) © World Health Organization 2021 Some rights reserved. This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo). Under the terms of this licence, you may copy, redistribute and adapt the work for non-commercial purposes, provided the work is appropriately cited, as indicated below. In any use of this work, there should be no suggestion that WHO endorses any specific organization, products or services. The use of the WHO logo is not permitted. If you adapt the work, then you must license your work under the same or equivalent Creative Commons licence. If you create a translation of this work, you should add the following disclaimer along with the suggested citation: “This translation was not created by the World Health Organization (WHO).
    [Show full text]
  • A Suicide Prevention and Postvention Toolkit for Texas Communities
    Coming Together to Care Together Coming gethe To r t g o n i C a m r o e C A Suicide Prevention and Postvention Toolkit for Texas Communities Texas Suicide Prevention Council Texas Youth Suicide Prevention Project Virtual Hope Box App (coming soon) The Virtual Hope Box app will provide an electronic version of the Hope Box concept: a place to store important images, notes, memories, and resources to promote mental wellness. The app will be free for teens and young adults, and available for both Android and iPhone users. For up-to-date information on the Virtual Hope Box, please see: http://www.TexasSuicidePrevention.org or http://www.mhatexas.org. ASK & Prevent Suicide App (now available) ASK & Prevent Suicide is a suicide prevention smartphone app for Android and iPhone users. suicide, crisis line contact information, and other resources. To download this app, search “suicide preventionThis free app ASK” is filled in iTunes with oruseful Google information Play. about warning signs, guidance on how to ask about True Stories of Hope and Help (videos online now) A series of short videos featuring youth and young adults from Texas sharing their stories of hope and help. These are true stories of high school and college age students who have either reached out for help or referred a friend for help. These videos can be found at: http://www. TexasSuicidePrevention.org or on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/mhatexas). FREE At-Risk Online Training for Public Schools and Colleges (now available) Watch for the middle school training scheduled for release in the fall of 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Community Economic Development As Progressive Politics: Toward a Grassroots Movement for Economic Justice
    CUMMINGS 2/1/2002 1:10 PM ARTICLES Community Economic Development as Progressive Politics: Toward a Grassroots Movement for Economic Justice Scott L. Cummings* Community economic development (CED) emerged during the 1990s as the dominant approach to redressing urban poverty, replacing entitlement programs and civil rights initiatives with a market-based strategy for promoting economic equality. Premised on the idea that poor neighborhoods are underutilized markets in need of private sector investment, market-based CED gained a broad range of ideological adherents, resonating with proponents of black nationalism, neoliberal economics, and postmodern micropolitics. As the decade brought economic issues to the fore and legal services advocates faced mounting federal restrictions, increasing numbers of poverty lawyers adopted the market-based CED model, providing transactional legal assistance to community organizations engaged in neighborhood revitalization initiatives. Yet, despite the expansion of the market paradigm, analysts have largely avoided a critical dialogue about CED theory and have neglected a careful examination of the evolving nature of grassroots CED practice. This Article sets forth an indigenous critique of market-based CED, arguing that it fails to deliver on its promise of poverty alleviation, diverts attention from the need for a coordinated political response to economic disadvantage, privileges localism over structural reform, and impedes the formation of multiracial political alliances. This Article then presents an alternative model of politically engaged CED that integrates legal advocacy and community organizing to build cross-neighborhood coalitions that promote broad-based economic reform. It concludes by outlining the contours of this new approach, highlighting how poverty lawyers are collaborating with organizing groups to expand living wage ordinances, establish cooperative businesses, and implement comprehensive hiring and job training programs.
    [Show full text]
  • Refugees and Law Enforcement Working Together Building and Crossing Bridges Refugees and Law Enforcement Working Together
    Building and Crossing Bridges Refugees and Law Enforcement Working Together Building and Crossing Bridges Refugees and Law Enforcement Working Together National Crime Prevention Council Washington, DC This publication was developed by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) through funding from the Office of Refugee Resettlement, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under an Interagency Agreement with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. NCPC received the funding through Cooperative Funding Agreement No. 89-DD-CX-K002 with the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Opinions are those of NCPC or cited sources and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. The National Crime Prevention Council is a private, nonprofit tax-exempt [501(c)(3)] organization whose principal mission is to enable people to prevent crime and build safer, more caring communities. NCPC publishes books, kits of camera-ready program materials, posters, and informational and policy reports on a variety of crime prevention and community-building subjects. NCPC offers training, technical assistance, and national focus for crime prevention: it acts as secretariat for the Crime Prevention Coalition, more than 120 national, federal, and state organizations committed to preventing crime. It also operates demonstration programs and takes a major leadership role in youth crime prevention.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Worker Iii
    PLUMAS COUNTY APPROVED: 4/2017 SOCIAL WORKER III DEFINITION Under general direction, the Social Worker III carries a difficult caseload involving the determination of need for basic social services functions for applicants or clients; performs social studies and assignments involving individualized treatment and specialized application of casework methods and skills; provides comprehensive casework services of a tangible nature; and performs other related work as assigned. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Social Worker III is the advanced journey level in the Social Worker series. Incumbents are normally assigned a selected caseload of the more difficult cases and when needed are given supervisory consultation in development of treatment plans. They may also be assigned to a specialized function requiring a high degree of perception such as a special problem caseload or they are assigned to a specific geographic or functional area such as Court Investigations, Family Maintenance/Reunification, Emergency Response, Child/Adult Protection, or Foster Care. A Social Worker III may act as a lead worker to other social service workers. Incumbents are expected to work independently. Social Worker III differs from Social Worker II in that the former receives the more difficult assignments requiring greater skill and depth of job knowledge in assessing problem situations and formulating plans for services. Incumbents normally work with a high degree of independence of action in administering services and in making use of agency or community resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Guidelines for Planning Community Participation Activities in Water Supply and Sanitation Projects
    WHO OFFSET PUBLICATION No. 96 Guidelines for planning communityparticipation activities in water supply and sanitation projects Anne Whyte WHO offset publications are intended to make generally available material that for economic, technical, or other reasons cannot be included in WHO's regular publications programme and would otherwise receive only limited distribution. They are usually reproduced by photo-offset from typescript, rather than by letterpress, and do not necessarily receive such detailed editorial revision as other WHO publications. The International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade Guidelines for planning community participation activities in water supply and sanitation projects ANNE WHYTE Institute for Environmental Studies University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada uel A-el_(4lt/ WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WYY GENEVA 1986 WHO Offset Publication No. 96 ISBN 92 4 170096 3 O World Health Organization 1986 Publications of the World Health Organization enjoy copyright protection in accordance with the provisions of Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. For rights of reproduction or translation of WHO publications, in part or in toto, application should be made to the Office of Publications, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. The World Health Organization welcomes such applications. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers' products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.
    [Show full text]
  • Modernization and Development As Part of the Globalization Process: Holistic Participatory Community Development in a Community in the Mantaro Valley, Peru Edith C
    Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2006 Modernization and development as part of the globalization process: Holistic participatory community development in a community in the Mantaro Valley, Peru Edith C. Fernandez-Baca Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Fernandez-Baca, Edith C., "Modernization and development as part of the globalization process: Holistic participatory community development in a community in the Mantaro Valley, Peru" (2006). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 1893. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/1893 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Modernization and development as part of the globalization process: Holistic participatory community development in a community in the Mantaro Valley, Peru by Edith C. Fernandez-Baca A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Rural Sociology Program of Study Committee: Cornelia Butler Flora, Major Professor Jan Flora Mary Emery Michael Whiteford Betty Wells Lois Wright Morton Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2006 Copyright © Edith C. Fernandez-Baca, 2006. All rights reserved. UMI Number: 3243850 UMI Microform 3243850 Copyright 2007 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code.
    [Show full text]
  • COURSE TITLE: Introduction to Community Organization
    COURSE TITLE: Introduction to Community Organization, Management, & Policy Practice COURSE NUMBER: 560 TIME & PLACE Winter, 2010: Monday: Section 002, Class #27077, 4-7pm, Rm. 2816 SSWB Wed.: Section 001, Class #27075, 9am-12, Rm. 1804 SSWB CREDIT HOURS: 3 PREREQUISITES: None LOCATION: Foundation macro methods; required for all MSW students INSTRUCTOR: Diane Kaplan Vinokur, PhD, LMSW, Associate Professor CONTACT DETAILS: Office: 3794 SSWB E-mail: [email protected] Office phone: (734) 647-2553 OFFICE HOUR: Tuesdays, 1pm-2pm, or by appointment1 1 Please e-mail me three different times when you could meet, and we can usually find a mutually convenient time, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. COURSE DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................................. 3 2. COURSE CONTENT ..................................................................................................................................... 3 3. COURSE OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................. 4 Additional Comments on the viewpoint of this instructor: ........................................................... 5 4. COURSE DESIGN ................................................................................................................................... 6 5. RELATIONSHIP OF THIS COURSE TO THE SSW’S FOUR CURRICULAR THEMES ............ 6 6. RELATIONSHIP OF THE COURSE TO SOCIAL WORK ETHICS
    [Show full text]
  • WORKING with COMMUNITIES and SOCIAL ACTION Prepared by Dr
    WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL ACTION Prepared by Dr. N.RAJAVEL Assistant professor Department of Social Work Bharathidasan University, Trichy OBJECTIVES • To understand the different aspects of a community, its functions and problems • To understand the critical elements of community organisation process • To enhance critical understanding of models and strategies for CO • To develop attitudes conducive to participatory activities for a civil society • To gain knowledge on the various techniques and skills of community organisation & social action and to develop the basic skills to apply those in the community. SYLLABUS Unit – I Community Organisation in India : concept, historical development, scope, objectives, philosophy, principles and basic assumptions and theoretical foundations; Community organisation as a method of social work; • Skills in Community Organisation: conference, committee, communication, training, consultation, organising, enabling, facilitating, negotiation, conflict resolution, mobilising, participatory, liaison public relations, and use of relationship to achieve goals. • Process/Phases of Community Organisation: Study, assessment, discussion, organisation, action, evaluation, modification, continuation; Community self- survey and RRA/PRA/PLM in Community Study. SYLLABUS Unit – II Community Structure: Community- concept, types its Characteristics,Community power structure and Political Organisations in the community; Factions and Subgroups; Minority groups; Leadership- Definitions, types and qualities; leadership
    [Show full text]
  • THE CHANGING PHILOSOPHY at VALLEYVIEW HOSPITAL a Study
    PROM CUSTODIAL CARE TO REHABILITATION: THE CHANGING PHILOSOPHY AT VALLEYVIEW HOSPITAL A Study of Treatment Facilities Discharge Planning and Community Resources Available for the Psychiatric Geriatric Patient by KAY JOSEY CLAYTON HERBERT TODD MOORHOUSE IGOR STARAK Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK in the School of Social Work Accepted as conforming to the standard required for the degree of Master of Social Work School of Social Work 1965 The University of British Columbia In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that per• mission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may he granted by the Head of my Department or by his representatives. It is understood that.copying or publi• cation of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. The University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, Canada ABSTRACT In I960, the Home for the Aged, an institution of the Province of British Columbia, underwent an official name change to Valleyview Hospital. The change in name indicated a change in the philosophy toward the treatment of the aged mentally ill person. This change can be equated with new knowledge about the physical, psychological and social aspects of aging. Formerly the program and the goal were related to custodial care; now, the program and the goal are related to treatment which will result in the aged mentally ill patient returning to a living arrangement in the community that is most appropriate to his needs.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, D. Min
    The Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, D. Min. St. John's Episcopal Church 4201 Sheridan Ave. South Minneapolis MN 55410 Personal Strengths Strong leadership abilities and work ethic. Able to articulate and sustain vision, and to guide others in the realization of long and short-term goals. Well-regarded preacher, writer, teacher, and pastor. Excellent administrative capabilities and group facilitation skills. Spanish speaker. Current Positions Rector, St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1993–Present. During my tenure, St. John’s has grown spiritually, organizationally, and in membership. A neighborhood parish with a broad appeal, St. John’s draws its members and worshippers from across Minneapolis and its suburbs. The congregation has a balanced and healthy ministry, with faith formation opportunities for all ages, a deep commitment to community service and social justice, and lively, varied worship. (See St. John’s website: www.stjohns-mpls.org) I have guided the congregation through two capital campaigns and building renovations, significant staff development and transitions, and comprehensive ministry expansion. Since 1993, the parish budget has increased from $140,000 to $562,000; pledging households have increased from 120 pledging households to 218; average Sunday attendance has increased from 120 to over 260. Our growth has been incremental, with two plateau periods that we overcame by addressing the spiritual, relational, and structural limitations of our community. Conference Leader, CREDO Faculty, 2001–Present. Twice a year, I guide 7 faculty and 28-35 participants (Episcopal clergy) through an 8-day conference focused on clergy wellness and vocational renewal. I am responsible for setting the tone for each conference, supervising and supporting the faculty, and encouraging the participants as they discern and articulate specific goals and objectives for their lives and vocation.
    [Show full text]
  • Can Volunteer Medical Visit Companions Support Older Adults in the United States? Orla C
    Sheehan et al. BMC Geriatrics (2021) 21:253 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-021-02162-5 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Can volunteer medical visit companions support older adults in the United States? Orla C. Sheehan* , Marcela D. Blinka and David L. Roth Abstract Background: Older adults are encouraged to use Medical Visit Companions (MVCs) for routine medical encounters; however, many vulnerable older adults attend alone or fail to attend. In the absence of available family or friends, community volunteers could potentially fill this gap. We aimed to understand the role and acceptability of volunteer MVCs accompanying older adults to medical visits and explore potential barriers and facilitators of increasing MVC availability and expanding roles beyond transportation. Methods: Two moderators conducted 4 focus groups with 29 volunteers grouped by whether they provided (n =15)orreceived(n = 14) rides to medical visits. All were members of Partners In Care (PIC), a community organization in Maryland, United States which offers a range of programs and services that support the independence of older adults including the provision of volunteer MVCs. Participants were asked to discuss why they were involved with PIC, and to describe their experiences with providing or receiving companionship during medical visits. Inductive thematic analysis was used to explore the views and experiences of participants, particularly around the roles played by MVCs and the feasibility of expanding these roles. Results: All participants reported benefits from their role whether that was giving or receiving rides. Many accompanied participants reported missing medical appointments prior to joining PIC and being able to avail of the services of a MVC.
    [Show full text]