Establishing relevant theoretical perspectives to define the appropriate interventions in the social work field effectively is crucial. Analyzing the case study of Gillian Hayes, the two chosen approaches are task-centered, working alongside motivational interviewing. Both methods can provide relevant insights into the potential issues and solutions according to the client’s needs. However, the limitations and additional challenges in implementation must be determined to form the overall pattern of the situation.
The first chosen theoretical perspective is the task-centered approach, implemented to create collaborative interactions with Gillian to resolve her concerns. Task-centered social work is a method of assisting clients in achieving their objectives and resolving pressing issues. Interpersonal conflict, social unhappiness, relationships in formal groups, trouble performing roles, issues with social transition, excessive emotional trauma, and insufficient resources may arise (Hosseini-Asl et al., 2020). The client’s desire to address the issue on their own or in partnership with the social worker must be expressed to detect difficulties. The approach’s fundamental steps are as follows: identifying the problems as viewed by the client, exploring the issue in depth, choosing the condition that is causing the client the most anxiety as the objective for assistance, defining a purpose that eliminates or diminishes the trouble, and evaluating the final result. Evaluation investigates if the person has attained the intended outcome and whether the issue has been fixed or lessened. Client relationships place a strong emphasis on a compassionate but team effort.
Client and practitioner agree and acknowledge the target issues to be addressed, as well as the project’s objectives and time frame. The practitioner’s duties include planning sessions for group problem-solving work and occasionally performing duties on the client’s behalf. Such collaboration must include the principle of planned brevity and interventions scheme and patterns. Consequently, the process must be realized through the emphasizing core values of the approach. They include partnership and client engagement, which demand the client define issues from their point of view and set personally meaningful objectives (Hosseini-Asl et al., 2020). Inequalities in authority, responsibilities, or roles must be made clear to forge a meaningful partnership. The customer, who is the best expert on their concerns, should also characterize the issue from their perspective. Finally, the social worker must recognize and make clear this power difference while attempting to collaborate with the client to achieve their objectives.
This approach is specifically critical regarding Gillian’s situation due to her fear of loneliness and family relationships, alongside problems with communication in her environment. The collaboration, however, is crucial because Gillian expressed struggles with being viewed as helpless and alone. Hence, she should be encouraged to establish her perspective and goal while feeling support from the social worker. The case study’s data shows that she has already established a friendly attitude towards care workers Bernice. Nevertheless, while working through the communication issue, it is essential to mention Gillian’s prejudice against people of different nationalities and her critical attitude toward her daughter’s personal life. Finally, the task-centered method can effectively manage the issue of dependence and helplessness. The planning must be simple and include activities forming Gillian’s positive self-image to reduce anxiety about her age-related difficulties. The language of tasks and communication between the worker and Gillian must be simple without professional jargon so that the client feels comfortable and not as a medical patient.
However, the potential limitation of the approach may occur due to Gillian’s perception of the situation. While she forms critical assumptions about other professionals of care, she can reject help from a worker who does not meet her personal views. Other issues may appear during the stage of identifying and resolving obstacles. The data shows that Gillian was embarrassed to use the commode, and her anxiety can be challenging to address all relevant concerns that provoke stress in the client’s life.
There are still several strengths of the approach regarding the case study. The main advantage is a generic strategy in the idea that it has the potential to solve a number of issues and challenges. It is simple to apply in various settings and in combination with other theories and methodologies. As an illustration, a social worker might start by using motivational interviewing with Gillian, who is hesitant to change, and then switch to task-centered social work when she is ready to take steps to address the identified issue. It is something that will be covered in more detail. The method is empowering since it involves a relationship between the social worker and the client. In this procedure, the social worker and client are equally involved, accountable, and able to gain feedback on their collaboration (Ray et al., 2018). The strategy has consistently been the topic of investigation, and it has been determined to be an efficient way to work that is also affordable. Although clients describe the problem and the solution, the approach integrates elements of dynamic social systems. Thus, Gillian is not positioned as the center of intervention or to be the cause of the issue; such an approach reduces her anxiety level.
Another theoretical perspective that can benefit Gillian’s case is the application of motivational interviewing (MI) as a supporting method to a task-centered approach. A technique in social work known as motivational interviewing increases a person’s motivation and dedication to changing their behavior by assisting them in resolving their uncertainty about the changes. It encourages a collaborative relationship between medical professionals and their patients, allowing them to show compassion, get to know one another, understand their perspectives, and support them in making changes. Older adults can benefit most from MI because they frequently have numerous medical conditions and demand treatment plans.
When a patient is having trouble making the required changes or is undecided about the changes needed, it is suitable considering employing MI as a supporting practice. The acronym PACE, which stands for partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation, represents the guiding principles of MI (Frost et al., 2018). The method includes working with the client as equals while balancing the authority roles in the process. It is similar to the task-centered approach and the client’s image in that theoretical framework. However, while in the task-centered intervention, the social worker remains the authority with apparent power, MI empowers clients as experts on their behaviors and feelings. Such an approach allows them to express their concerns and fears more freely.
Another principle is centered around the acceptance of the patient without judgment. At the same time, the professional should avoid confrontation during the interviewing process. Finally, compassion presents the crucial element of the MI process, during which the worker must be empathetic and advocate for the patient. According to a MI perspective, rejection of care happens when the client feels their freedom or autonomy is being violated or when they disagree with the clinician’s assessment of the issue or proposed remedy (Frost et al., 2018). These encounters frequently have their roots in the client’s resistance to change.
Basic motivational interviewing techniques include various aspects that can be implemented in Gillian’s case study. The theoretical approach should be included as a stage before the task-centered method to develop the necessary relationship with Gillian and address some issues. The first component of the intervention should include open-ended questions that do not include a direct yes-or-no response and encourage explanation, understanding, and change dialogue. It can help Gillian to begin the communication of her fears and core issues, such as her relationships with her daughter. The reflection practice should support it, including holding a mirror or repeating the client’s comments. It aims to convey empathy by showing that Gillian’s point of view is understood, highlighting inconsistencies, and reinforcing change discussion to show the potential outcomes of changes. One of the results may be improved relationships with the daughter and a better understanding of society.
On the other hand, affirmations can effectively address the fear of being helpless and other age-related concerns. Summarizing is the last interviewing intervention to conclude what happened in a conversation or the counseling session. Consequently, it conveys understanding, shows interest, and draws attention to crucial aspects of the topic that must be worked through in the following cooperation process. Based on this interview, further task-centered interventions must be planned and adjusted according to the discovered peculiarities of Gillian’s character.
The approach may be challenging due to Gillian’s attitude regarding family relationships. Her strong political and social disagreement with her daughter can be harder to resolve. The issue is highly dependent on Gillian’s readiness to make changes and change her perspective and worldview, which can be complicated for older adults. However, the interviewing process can support the development of friendly relationships between Gillian and the social worker, encouraging her to share her concerns. It may present an opportunity to start the intervention process only through the willingness of the client to work for the results. At the same time, while Gillian expressed her concerns to her daughter about the inability to manage her life, MI can show the advantage of establishing a clear path for Gillian. Such an approach can benefit her by resolving the fear of inability to plan further steps for her.
Concerning the latter issues with Gillian’s fears and troubles, it is essential to address the anti-oppressive practice, which should focus on aging-relating concerns. It must be implemented alongside empowering strategies to enhance the client’s confidence. One of the core principles is the empowerment of service users, which works to establish systems for empowerment amongst individuals and within institutions. Understanding how social forces affect service users’ lives and being able to dissect experiences at the individual scale requires the process of externalizing structural oppression (Allan, 2020). By examining the structures and institutions that affect and influence people’s capacity for social movement, economic prosperity, and educational attainment, this method enables people to see the natural character of their situations.
As a result, Gillian has to be as involved in decision-making that affects her life as feasible. This can be accomplished by consciously delegating authority and committing to transparency so that the service user has all the facts and is aware of the situation so they can act in their own best interests. By working against hierarchical systems to establish a supportive atmosphere where the service user may obtain the tools and knowledge, they need to collaborate with a caseworker, working in partnership seeks to equalize uneven power relationships.
A fundamental human right, the ability to make decisions about one’s life, is one that well-intentioned professionals in the interest of safety frequently violate. Inabilities that make it harder to get out and interact with others add to the social isolation that might develop organically as we age. Critical social workers work to fully comprehend the various forms of oppression that service users experience. Personal, cultural, and structural forces shape individual issues and access to solutions. Things can get more challenging as one ages, but instead of stopping activity immediately, explore the possibilities and look for changes. For Gillian, it can be a shift and support of her interests, particularly gardening. Instead of having flowers outside, she can care for flowers inside the room and arrange them independently.
Furthermore, the professional balance of workers is highly linked to having no or minimal stress symptoms, making it a suitable environment for well-being development. To increase chances of having a life balance and, consequently, more significant mental health, changes should be made to several organizational and social work environment elements according to the client’s needs. Primarily it concerns the accessibility of the various spaces around Gillian’s home since she has difficulties walking the steps daily. Her life management and organization cause her additional stress and anxiety because she cannot perform the same tasks she did before. Hence, the priority must be an organization of a comfortable atmosphere for Gillian where she will not feel helpless. However, the service must be provided concerning the personal privacy policy and acknowledgment of human rights for Gillian to determine whether implementing interventions is appropriate.
To successfully implement the mentioned tactics, it is essential to have several skills to establish a connection with Gillian. The ability for clear communication and attentive listening is crucial. Social workers are responsible for speaking up for their clients; to do so, they must be aware of their needs. This entails speaking appropriately and successfully with customers regardless of their background, age, nationality, literacy skill level, or disability, in addition to being aware of body language and other nonverbal indicators (Allan, 2020). Since Gillian has strong political and social views, it is essential to show her understanding because if she feels disconnected on such a level, further interaction will be ineffective. Moreover, critical thinking skills are required to establish the connections between Gillian’s concerns, fears, and potential causes that can be resolved through interventions. Social workers can make knowledgeable judgments and create the best plans to serve clients by thinking critically and without prejudice. It concerns her feeling alienated in the neighborhood and her relationships with her daughter.
Therefore, two theoretical perspectives on the case study of Gillian Hayes include a task-centered approach and motivational interviewing. The proposed methods should be used together to provide the most effective intervention to the client to propose solutions for her fear of loneliness and age-related concerns of helplessness. An essential role in the process is establishing a connection with the social worker due to the personal views of Gillian, which requires developed skills of active listening and communication alongside critical thinking.
Reference List
Allan, J. (2020). Theorising new developments in critical social work. In Critical social work. pp. 30-44. Routledge.
Frost, H., Campbell, P., Maxwell, M., O’Carroll, R.E., Dombrowski, S.U. (2018) Effectiveness of motivational interviewing on adult behaviour change in health and social care settings: A systematic review of reviews. PLOS ONE 13(10). Web.
Hosseini-Asl, E., McCann, B., Wu, C., Yavuz, S. & Socher, R. (2020). A simple language model for task-oriented dialogue. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, 33.
Ray, M. G., Bernard, M., & Phillips, J. (2018). Critical issues in social work with older people. Bloomsbury Publishing.