This article examines elder care services in the United States. These services are provided and funded through a system of care that includes government, the voluntary sector, and the private market. Because of unmet basic needs, poorly coordinated systems, and social and economic disparities among older adults in the United States, social services play an important role in overcoming challenges to optimal functioning and emotional well-being in later life. The shortage of adequately trained and aging-competent social workers reduces the ability of social work to meet the needs of a growing older population. The article reviews and discusses recent developments in social work education in the United States, developments that tend to increase the number of aging-competent social workers and include initiatives for aging-related curriculum development , training, organizational development, and schooling. // (2015)
