March is National Social Worker Month

March 2, 2020 | by morwebadmin

Hospice of Hope's individualized care plan includes input from highly educated and hard-working social workers. They provide valuable resources and play an important role in the care of our patients and families during a difficult period of life. With the help of our compassionate social workers, that process can be made smoother and easier for the patient and family.

Social workers educate and encourage difficult but important discussions that can help patients and families choose better quality care options. When treatment endures with little hope of curing the illness, patients’ quality of life may be diminished, and the hospice interdisciplinary team has little opportunity to work with the patient and family on biopsychosocial and spiritual issues. However, when spending the proper time with the patient and family, social workers can help navigate crucial discussions about palliative care and comfort any anxiety, fear, or depression.

Furthermore, social workers play a key role in promoting timely access to hospice services, as they are most involved in patient communication, decision making, and goals of care. Additionally, they support an honest conversation about how the patient and family want to spend the rest of the days or weeks remaining and help them move in that direction. All in all, social workers’ most significant role is to ensure that the patient’s voice is heard and understood.

If you see a social worker this month, be sure to thank them for their service and patient advocacy!