30 Apr Because it may be a significant part of a clients social environment, spirituality plays a vital role in your understanding of the client, their n
Because it may be a significant part of a client’s social environment, spirituality plays a vital role in your understanding of the client, their needs, and potential treatment. Consider this example: A social worker recognizes a client’s strong Baptist faith; the social worker then facilitates services through the Baptist Church so as to build on an already established connection.
Being culturally sensitive by respecting your clients' spirituality and religious traditions is an important professional competence. Applying your spiritual awareness to a specific client case, however, may require even greater skill. In this Assignment, you consider how you might address a client’s crisis that includes a spiritual or religious component.
Analyzing the case and applying your perspective on spirituality. Be sure to address the following:
- As a social worker, would you include spirituality and religion in your initial assessment of Najeeb? Why or why not?
- What strategies might you use to ensure that your personal values would not influence your practice with Najeeb? How would these strategies support ethical practice?
- How would you address the crisis that Najeeb is experiencing?
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Najeeb
Najeeb is a 72-year-old Pakistani American who immigrated to the United States 40
years ago. He has two grown daughters, Nasrin and Mira, who live in nearby
communities with their families. His wife, Maryam, passed away approximately 10 years
ago after a long illness. Najeeb and one of his daughters served as her caregivers
during that time. Najeeb currently lives alone in the house he and his wife bought, in a
predominantly Pakistani American neighborhood.
Najeeb owned and ran a popular news stand in the city until 5 years ago, at which point
he retired and sold the business. Najeeb disclosed that he enjoyed operating the news
stand because he had “a sense of purpose” and “lots of people to talk to.” Since retiring,
much of his social life has been focused on his Muslim faith and his family, with worship
at the mosque and visits with his daughters and grandchildren. His routine has also
included daily walks around the neighborhood for fresh air and communion with others.
Recently, Najeeb has begun to experience health-related concerns which have
impacted his ability to walk and socialize with peers. Najeeb disclosed that religion is a
big part of his life; however, he now has limited ability to ambulate, so he cannot engage
in daily ritual prayer in the manner he is used to. He also cannot easily get to the
mosque, as he does not own a car, cannot walk, and public transportation is difficult for
him to navigate. According to Najeeb’s daughters, these mobility concerns have had a
major impact on his psychological functioning. Nasrin and Mira have recognized a
change in their father’s demeanor, describing him as “depressed” and “hopeless.” They
encouraged Najeeb to reach out to the local agency on aging for assistance.
