In honor of National Social Worker Month, I wanted to share a little about the benefits the social worker provides as part of the hospice care team.
When faced with a life-limiting illness a person is often challenged with overwhelming thoughts and emotions, a change in the life surrounding them, and a difference in their relationships. A person can feel lost in the healthcare journey and overwhelmed about what to do. When choosing hospice, patients get the benefit of an experienced team of professionals, which includes a hospice social worker.
The hospice social worker is dedicated to helping identify things that are most important to the patient, providing counseling to help with understanding of what the patient is feeling, and assistance finding the best resources for each situation, such as advance directives and final arrangements. In addition, the social worker can provide the tools to navigate the relationships around the patient and provide caregivers with emotional support.
The hospice social worker will work closely with the other members of the hospice care team to make sure the patient is receiving the best care possible, while also assisting with connecting the patient to community resources. At Hospice of Northwest Ohio, patients and families have 24-hour access to a social worker.