Nursing Home Social Service Directors and Elder Abuse Staff Training

Background and Purpose: As guardians of resident rights, nursing home social workers have a role in ensuring that fellow staff members understand resident rights and can identify resident abuse. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which social services departments are involved in training staff about resident abuse, and the extent to which directors of social services departments can train colleagues (one-on-one) about how to report suspected abuse. Methods: This research is based on data from a cross-sectional nationally representative survey of 1,071 nursing home social services directors who answered questions about departmental responsibilities, characteristics of nursing homes, and characteristics of social services staff. Bivariate and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses are used to describe relationships between characteristics of social services departments (and directors) and the dependent variables of providing staff training about different types of adult abuse and also the ability to train a colleague about how to report suspected abuse. Results: Over two-thirds of social service directors reported that their department was “usually or always” involved in staff training regarding: resident rights, and abuse (physical, emotional, financial and sexual). Three independent variables were statistically significant in the multivariate logistic regression used to explain the odds of the department “usually or always” being involved in abuse staff training. If the social service director graduated since 2000 the odds were higher. Also, two characteristics of nursing homes increased the odds of the social services department “usually or always” being involved: nursing homes being located in the northeast region of the USA, and being part of a chain. The odds of the social services director reporting the ability to train a colleague (one-on-one) about how to report suspected abuse were higher if the director held a college degree (holding a social work degree--compared to a college degree in general was approaching statistical significance with p. 07.)or was licensed in social work. Conclusions and Implications: Most social service departments are involved in training staff about resident rights and about elder abuse. Characteristics of social services directors are related to whether departments are involved in these trainings, and whether directors can train a colleague about how to report suspected abuse. Social service directors' education and licensure affect the training role the director plays in the organization. Schools of social work, and state licensure bodies are encouraged to enhance their training efforts directed toward nursing home social services departments, so that the departments are available to help fellow staff members, and most importantly, able to serve as resident advocates.