‘Being that hopeful person’: the contribution of social workers to older people’s wellbeing

Drawing on the findings of research in adult teams in two local authorities in England, this paper examines what social workers with older people do, how this contributes to older people’s well-being and the impact of the social and organisational context of practice. Researchers observed social workers in their practice, interviewed social workers, older people, family carers and other workers, analysed older people’s records and examined social workers’ calendars. Framework analysis was used to chart the data in relation to social work capabilities, wellbeing outcomes for older people and contextual influences. The paper illustrates key findings with reference to examples drawn from social workers’ practice with three older people and family carers. It then discusses three cross-cutting themes: rights and risks; therapeutic engagement; and navigating boundaries. We conclude that the complexity and value of social work with older people needs greater recognition and argue for changes to allow social work time to be deployed where it has most impact, that is, in direct work with older people and their families.