Gerontological Social Work with Older African American Adults

Abstract

The proportion of older adults in the U.S. population is growing. By the year 2050, 21% of all Americans aged 65+ years will be members of minority groups, with African Americans comprising the largest subgroup. Disparities in health status and mortality exist between older African American and Caucasian adults. The charge to gerontolog-ical social work in the new millennium is to develop effective means of reducing racial disparities in health status. This paper presents some of the key health issues facing older African American adults and describes approaches that could be used by gerontological social work practitioners and researchers in helping to close the widening racial gap in health status.

Key Words:

• Aging
• social work
• African American adults
• physical health
• mental health