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Job satisfaction and organizational commitment are critical factors in retention of qualified and experienced social workers. Palliative care organizations may struggle to retain social workers who...

This study explored people's compliance with recommended preventative measures during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was administered in June 2020 in the USA and Canada (N = 1,405). Regression analysis found that when controlling for other factors, age and political ideology were significant predictors of compliance with preventative measures. A content analysis of narrative answers of compliance/noncompliance found that the majority of individuals intended to comply with preventative measures, with primary reasons as social responsibility, self-protection, and protection of family members. Reasons identified for not complying were viewing preventative practices as unnecessary, getting mixed messages from various sources about effectiveness, distrust in government and inability to comply. This study informs social workers on intervention strategies on micro, mezzo and macro levels of practice.

This policy analysis examines key aspects of two policies fundamental to work with terminal cancer patients: the Medicare Hospice Benefit and Medicare policy in palliative care. End-of-life care, affected by these policies, should address physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering for all vulnerable groups. Using Gilbert and Terrell’s framework, social allocations, social provisions, service delivery, and financing are examined to better understand each policy’s effects on equality, equity, and adequacy for terminally ill cancer patients. In practice, each has substantially socially unjust effects for cancer patients. Disproportionate advantages result for those who are white, have family caregiving support systems, those with higher socioeconomic status, and individuals with stable insurance coverage. The Medicare Hospice Benefit and Medicare coverage for palliative care need to be better understood by policy practitioners and all practitioners in health care settings. Advocacy can contribute to improved equity in end-of-life cancer care.

Being valued and respected by colleagues is an important contributor to job satisfaction in hospice and other health care settings. The purpose of this study was to examine how the perception of feeling valued by different members of the interdisciplinary team and interdependence of team members are related to hospice social workers' job satisfaction. The study aims were to examine: (1) the degree to which hospice social workers feel valued by other members of the interdisciplinary team; and 2) whether this is associated with job satisfaction. A nonprobability sample of 203 hospice social workers completed an online survey assessing job satisfaction, perception of feeling valued by each of the professionals on the interdisciplinary hospice team, interdependence of team members, and professional and personal characteristics. The final regression model for intrinsic job satisfaction included feeling valued by doctors and by other social workers, and interdisciplinary interdependence. The final model for extrinsic job satisfaction did not include any of the perception of feeling valued by others on the interdisciplinary team, although interdependence and the number of social workers at the hospice were significant in this model. Reasons for the difference in these models and the practice and policy implications are discussed.

Upon the outbreak of Covid-19, recommendations to cease all non-essential in person services were mandated across the United States to prevent transmission to non-infected individuals. As a result, approximately 96% of all senior centers in the United States were closed to in-person programming. Senior centers have had a long history of engaging older adults, maintaining community connections, enhancing social support and reducing social isolation. SAGE, the first publicly funded senior center for LGBT older adults in the US, serves a traditionally under-served population with a vast array of services and programs. This exploratory, cross-sectional study utilized an online survey to evaluate the experiences of 113 SAGE members after the Coronavirus pandemic closed their senior center. Participants reported a relatively easy adaptation to technology, steady participation in programs and services, satisfaction with virtual senior center programming and a stable sense of engagement with their peers. Higher levels of engagement with senior center programs was associated with stronger feelings of social support. Additionally, stronger perceptions of social support and participation in exercise and fitness programming were associated with higher life satisfaction and lower depression and anxiety. Implications and recommendations for other gerontological service providers are offered.

To address job satisfaction, and therefore employment retention, of hospice social workers, this study examined how relationships with other members of the interdisciplinary hospice team and perceptions of hospice leadership may be associated with job satisfaction of hospice social workers. The sample of 203 hospice social workers was recruited by e-mailing invitations to hospice social workers identified by hospice directors in three states, use of online social media sites accessed by hospice social workers, and snowball sampling. Study measures included professional experience, hospice characteristics, interdisciplinary collaboration, perception of servant leadership, and intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. Variables significant in the model for intrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and feeling valued by the hospice physician. Variables significant in the model for extrinsic satisfaction were perception of servant leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, feeling valued by the hospice physician, and number of social workers at the hospice. Interdisciplinary collaboration was more important for intrinsic job satisfaction and leadership style was more important for extrinsic job satisfaction. Profit status of the hospice, experience of the social worker, caseload size, and other variables were not significant in either model. These results support previous findings that leadership style of the hospice director and relationships with hospice colleagues are important for hospice social workers' job satisfaction. Such low-cost modifications to the hospice work environment, albeit not simple, may improve job satisfaction of hospice social workers.