Personnel to serve the aging in the field of social work: implications for educating professionals

This survey of 476 members of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) was conducted to better describe their characteristics, educational background, and perceptions of the field of aging. The findings indicated that although 26 percent (29,650) of NASW members currently work with older people, 62 percent of those who do not work with older people reported that gerontology knowledge was required in their current jobs. Respondents perceived that the area of aging would be much larger and more important in the future, and they recommended increased gerontological preparation for all social work students.