THE HOSPICE SOCIAL WORKER
1103 Bellevue Ave.
P.O. Box 1344
Dublin , Ga. 31040
912-272-8333
1-800-432-1092
E-Mail

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ROLE OF THE HOSPICE SOCIAL WORKER

One of the first contacts the patient or family has with Laurens Hospice is through the hospice social worker. The initial contact is a personal visit (preferred) or a telephone visit. The purpose of this initial visit is to assess the psychological and social needs of the patient and family. The social worker is skilled in interviewing techniques and evaluation skills, and is knowledge about available community resources. This skill and knowledge is focused on maximizing the quality of life for the patient and family, and promoting and supporting positive change in the patient.

After the initial interview, an assessment is made and a Plan of Care designed. A family conference, including at least a nurse and social worker, is a good way to clarify the symptom control goals, enlist the family in sharing care giving tasks, and assist the family in planning for death medically, emotionally, financially. Additional visits assess changes in patient and family needs followed by updating the Plan of Care to reflect these changes. Typical areas of concern are issues that can negatively affect the success of the Plan of Care.

Environmental Issues:

  1. There appears to be inadequate financial resources.
  2. No one is available in the home to give satisfactory care to the patient.
  3. There is frequent family conflict with no problem resolution.
  4. Living environment is overcrowded.
  5. Family members unable to adapt to role changes needed for effective patient care.
  6. Patient or family has insufficient information about community resources.

Psychological issues:

  1. The primary caregiver seems overwhelmed or confused.
  2. The patient's expression of emotion is inappropriate with physical findings.
  3. There are suicidal threats or a past history of suicide attempts.
  4. Overt anger is expressed by the patient or between family members.
  5. There are inappropriate fears that interfere with the treatment.

 Physical conditions:

  1. There is insufficient care for the patient such as the caregiver is not experienced or has too little time or family members are unable or unwilling to help.
  2. Conditions are unsanitary.
  3. There is a large discrepancy between medical expectations and the patient's actual condition.
  4. The patient is refusing medication or is not doing the prescribed self care.
  5. There are repeated, unexplained "mishaps" that cause declines in the patient's condition.

Laurens Hospice — Building on the Strengths of Patients and Families

A common practice for helpers in our society is to approach those they help as defective in some way and assume their problems result from personal flaws or weakness. This approach can create a web of negative expectations about the patient, the patient's environment, and the patient's capacity to deal the with the problems of daily life.. Rather than being helpful, this approach can actually hinder the positive growth we desire. The Seasons Hospice team uses a positive approach in which we are guided by an awareness of what the patient or family has accomplished, and not by any perceived problems or weaknesses.

Creating a positive hospice team – patient relationship is important in helping the patient and family through the demands of dealing with a terminal illness. Building on patient and family strengths creates a bond between the hospice team and the patient and family, a bond which gives the patient and family feelings of confidence and hope. With added confidence, the patient and family become more willing and more able to assist the hospice team.. They become true experts in their own care.