When a new patient begins end-of-life care service with Centrica Care Navigators, they’re assigned a team of professionals to help with everything from changing the sheets to considering their spiritual views.
One essential member of the team is the social worker, who truly is a navigator, helping patients prioritize their needs in an often challenging, chaotic time. They support families with questions about what’s happening to their loved one and what they can do to make their time in end-of-life care as comfortable as possible.
“A lot of people are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, social workers come alongside them to acknowledge feelings and support them,” said Julie, a Centrica Care Navigators social worker. On a typical day, she visits 4 to 6 patients wherever they are living. The core of her job is simply to be present and support clients navigating this journey at the end of life.
What a Social Worker Does
There are a variety of tasks social workers take on each day, all to support patients and their families. Here are just a few of those tasks:
- Social workers talk with patients about how they’re feeling.
- Social workers review what the patient has been doing each day since their last visit.
- Social workers take stock of the patient’s medical supplies.
- Social workers do what they can to help patients accomplish day-to-day activities at home.
- Social workers help with the grieving process, listening to patients’ stories and connecting them with the skilled Centrica Care Navigators grief support team.
The social worker finds ways to help patients and their families feel more comfortable and confident with the end-of-life care they are receiving.
Family members of patients get support from social workers, too, Julie said.
“I try to find out, what’s their biggest worry, and how can I help?” Julie said. “Families don’t want the patient to suffer. I want them to not feel like they have to put on the mask of ‘everything’s OK.’”
Centrica Care Navigators social workers help with paperwork questions, discuss worries about financial and personal business needs, assess for resources, need for caregiver assistance, ramps, life alerts, and funeral home discussions. they can support advanced care planning discussions and assist with the completion of medical paperwork.
They offer emotional support and an avenue to express feelings of anxiety and sadness, among others.
Social Workers are an Essenitial Part of the IDT
Social workers check in with the rest of the hospice care team, so everyone involved in that patient’s care knows how the patient is feeling and where they’re focusing their attention.
They check on each patient’s living situation and provide companionship to patients who might otherwise spend their time in end-of-life care all alone.
“We ask what’s working and what’s not,” Julie said. “It’s about approaching them with love and kindness.”
Learn More
You can learn more about our social workers and a care team dedicated to someone you care about by exploring our website or calling Centrica Care Navigators at 269.345.0273.
