Facts about Social Work and Aging

Click here to download a pdf version of the 2006 Social Work Month Toolkit.

• 77 million people are considered part of the “baby boom” population, representing 27% of the population.  In 2011, the first group of baby boomers will turn 65.  With the aging of 27% of the population, there will be an increased need for social work services.
• Life spans are increasing. Adults who live to age 65 can expect to live an average of 18 more years. Women who reach age 85 can expect to live another seven years.
• The older Hispanic population is projected to grow faster than any other minority group, from two million in 2003 to 15 million in 2050. By 2028, the number of older Hispanic adults is expected to exceed the number of older African Americans.
• Working with older adults can mean involvement with active, healthy clients as well as those who are ill in settings that range from adult day care centers and nursing homes to hospitals, public agencies, and private corporations. Social workers form an important link between seniors and the services designed to help them.
• Social workers help clients make decisions on assisted-living arrangements, provide caregiver support through group counseling, or work with families to plan a loved one’s long-term care.
• Social worker’s one-on-one care can help seniors through feelings of anxiety, loneliness and depression. That could mean direct counseling, dealing with special health care needs, or even something as basic as better nutrition – whatever it takes to keep seniors living well.
• According to the Center for Workforce Studies research on the social work labor force, the supply of professional social workers may not be sufficient to meet the demands of the aging baby boomers.
• NASW Workforce Center’s findings revealed that the social work labor force is expected to decrease in the next two years, with 13% of the survey respondents planning to leave their current positions. 
• The social work labor force is older than most professions and occupations.  Nearly 30% of social workers are over 55 years of age, compared with 14% of the U.S. civilian labor force.
• The Center for Workforce Studies at NASW notes that 75% of social workers report that they have older adults (55 years and older) in their caseloads.  24% of social workers report that older adults comprise at least 50% of their caseloads.
• The National Institutes of Health notes that the number of professional social workers who will be needed to serve this aging population is 60,000 to 70,000, indicating an increased demand for social workers. 

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