Publications from ODSW Social Insights: Letters by DSW (Vol 1) | Page 70

Adult Protection Service Casework

Dear Students of Social Work,
You would have, of late, been reading about protecting vulnerable adults
particularly the elderly. The services provided will include and to a larger
extent be administered by an Adult Protective Service (APS), as well as
partners working with APS. This will be an area where more social workers
will be required to play a significant and purposeful role. What does an APS
caseworker do?

APS Caseworker
An APS caseworker performs advanced social work related to protecting the
elderly and adults with disabilities who are unable to protect themselves. An
APS caseworker has an interesting job that includes:
• Conducting home visits to assess if the person is at risk of harm.
• Talking to clients about their situation and even asking some quite intimate
questions.
• Engaging in discussions with the client about all aspects of their life –
including money, health, relationships and even terminal illness or death.
• Responding quickly in a crisis situation involving vulnerable adults in an
abusive/ neglectful situation.
• Interacting objectively with “caregivers” who have abused adults in their
care.
• Educating clients in order to change previous behaviour that has led to
abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
• Spending a significant portion of time documenting casework activity.
• Appropriately dealing with verbal abuse from clients who may not
understand or accept why the caseworker is there.
• Working under constant time pressure created by the nature and volume of
the cases, prioritizing efforts and working flexible work hours.
• Convening family conferencing to draw up care and safety plans.
• Maintaining a balance of objectivity and empathic understanding in dealing
with families living in stressful or crisis situations.

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