2009/03/23 by Kyu‐taik Sung, Ruth E. Dunkle · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Psychology · Health Professions · #Elder Abuse and Neglect #Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health #Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
paper · doi:10.1080/01634370802609247
openalex publication_date 2009/03/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Although respect is a crucial aspect of social work practice, few studies have examined how social workers convey their respect for elderly clients. This study explored the various forms of respect demonstrated by social workers when they were with older clients. Fifty social workers serving elderly clients were surveyed by a questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions. Based on data on ways the social workers respected their elderly clients, the study identified 7 forms most frequently practiced and considered most important. They are linguistic respect, care respect, acquiescent respect, salutatory respect, presentational respect, spatial respect, and consultative respect. The key expressions of these forms are introduced in quantitative data and a narrative form. These findings provide insight as to how social workers exhibit respect for elderly clients in their practice. The results of this exploration may be useful in developing a more comprehensive typology of the forms signifying respect for elderly clients.