Commitment of Licensed Social Workers to Aging Practice

This study sought to identify client, professional, and employment characteristics that enhance licensed social workers\u27 commitment to aging practice. A series of binary logistic regressions were performed using data from 181 licensed, full-time social workers who reported aging as their primary specialty area as part of the 2004 NASW\u27s national study of licensed social workers. Several variables were identified as being significant predictors of commitment to aging, including clients\u27 source of insurance, practitioners\u27 years of experience in social work and gerontology, perceived adequacy of training, number of social work colleagues in the work environment, perceived appropriateness of delegated tasks, and annual income. This study illuminates critical areas of need to promote professional commitment to aging practice. Promotion of training and competency-based education and the need for sufficient job challenge and appropriate assignment of roles (that is, those that are consistent with practitioners\u27 skills and abilities) will encourage commitment to working in the field of gerontology