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This article discusses the use of observation for reflective practice with older people, particularly the benefits and challenges of this learning tool. It outlines a study with 26 third-year Bachelor of Social Work students who undertook an elective course on reflective practice with older people. Using qualitative document analysis, the authors found that while there were a range of challenges in conducting these observations; overall, the students identified both personal and professional gains from their experiences. Particularly useful were the identification of ageist practices within the setting and the development of a degree of emotionality, criticality, and reflexivity through their experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work with older people is often characterised as low status employment and is dominated by medicalised constructions of old age. Consequently, there is a need for educational responses that address students’ negative attitudes toward older people and enable the development of practice skills in this area. The present paper evaluates an elective course for third year social work students that challenged their perceptions of their own and others’ ageing, and stimulated a reflective approach to practice with older people. Reflective learning techniques were employed in the course, including observations in aged care service settings. Students in the course showed a high degree of interest in working with older people in the future and, although this did not increase much throughout the course, they evaluated it positively, noting greater awareness of issues affecting older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate social work students’ knowledge of older people's issues and their interest in working with older people in the future. Method: Fifty-five final-year students completed a questionnaire, including a knowledge/myths instrument and an interest scale. Independent variables included students’ prior contact with older people and exposure to a course on ageing. Results: Students achieved an average 70.4% success rate on the knowledge/myths instrument; no student got all answers correct. Interest levels were moderate with an average score of 5.13 on a 10-point scale. Prior participation in ageing courses was positively correlated with knowledge of older people's issues and interest in working with older people. Conclusions: Correlations between course attendance and students’ knowledge and interest are in line with international findings. Such courses should challenge common myths associated with ageing and should promote social work with older people as skilled practice within complex health, welfare and family systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]