Social workers often have to handle a great deal of negativity in their working lives. This book celebrates social work practice at its most positive and influential and, in doing so, contributes to a growing literature on critical best practice. Focused on 12 unique and compelling stories of social work with older people, the authors: - Provide a fresh and realistic insight into life as a social worker, and the dilemmas and difficulties that practitioners typically face - Illustrate how knowledge, theory and research are integrated in professional decision-making and action - Show social workers analyzing their own cases and include reflective questions to help readers formulate their own learning and thereby develop their own practice This book provides students on qualifying courses with an invaluable perspective on real life practice, and gives qualified practitioners the opportunity to reflect on and better their own practice.