Date of Award
2023
Publication Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Social Work
Keywords
Grounded theory, Long-term care, Social work role, Multidisciplinary care, Ecological theory
Supervisor
J. Grant
Supervisor
P. Selmi
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
The role of the social worker in long-term care (LTC) in Ontario is a vital component of holistic, person-centred, multidisciplinary care. However, the social work role in LTC is not well understood and social workers can be underutilized in their roles due to this ambiguity. This study used ecological theory and constructivist grounded theory methodology to illuminate the theoretical properties of the role of social work, to examine its distinct lens on the multidisciplinary team in LTC, and to assist in developing social work scope and practice descriptions. Twelve registered social workers working in LTC in Ontario participated in intensive semi-structured interviews about their roles. The findings from this study illustrate the role of the social worker in LTC as fast paced and filled with many responsibilities and obligations that make “every day different”. Five themes were identified 1. Building Trust and Relationship, 2. Meeting Needs in the LTC Environment, 3. Working in Collaboration, 4. Life Cycle of the Social Work Role in LTC, 5. Influencing the Culture of LTC. Implications of the research are discussed for social work practice, policy, research, and education and include the recommendation that a social worker be mandated in every LTC home in the province. This would ensure that biopsychosocial care needs are addressed, communication facilitated with social workers as conduits and hubs for knowledge transfer, and the opportunity for social workers to contribute to transformational change from task and efficiency-oriented to value-based and relational models of care.
Recommended Citation
Hind, Candace, "The Role of the Social Worker in Long-Term Care in Ontario: An Exploratory Qualitative Study Examining Perspectives of Social Workers About Their Roles." (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 9114.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/9114