What is Social Work?
Social Work connects people and resources to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing. Social workers utilize a range of skills, techniques and strategies to assess, counsel, educate and advocate for their clients.
What does a social worker assess?
Our social workers conduct a biopsychosocial assessment to gather a holistic view of the resident and their potential needs. This includes looking at the following aspects of life.
Physical
Understand their client’s medical history, diagnosis and ability to perform daily tasks. A social worker can intervene when en elderly person is in need of care and protection.
Emotional
Assess their ability to regulate themselves, a person’s self-concept, emotional intelligence and whether their affect is appropriate. Uncovering past traumas and how it affects functioning.
Assess if the person’s environment caters for their changing capacities. Environmental
Behaviour
Look at current and past behavioural patterns and assessing if they are functional/ dysfunctional. Screen for substance misuse.
Cognition
Understand their ability to make informed decisions and manage their finances.
Systems
Understand the person’s support systems, physical, financial and medical resources, religious activities and recreational opportunities.
Social workers often refer to other professionals for specific assessments and recommendations when concerns are identified. They take these recommendations into consideration when formulating an individualised plan and ensure that the wishes of their client is at the center of all intervention.
After a holistic assessments our social workers may support their clients in one or more of the following ways:
• Facilitate communication between residents and their families in a therapeutic way.
• Educate and support caregivers on managing challenging behaviours
• Provide short term counselling to residents and their families
• Assess risk factors versus self-autonomy and advocate for the best interest of their clients.
• Refer to an appropriate service provider.
• Support families needing to implement more care for their loved one.
• Assisting with placement at an appropriate facility
• Provide transition support for residents moving to a new environment.
• Family support in curatorship applications.
• Support in setting up Advance Directives/ living wills.
Other services provided by our social workers include:
• Facilitating family support groups based on the need.
• Facilitating wellness groups with the long term health care residents to increase socialization and foster relationships.
• Creating awareness around mental health and abuse.
• Training of social work students.
I am a basic agent for positive change. A client advocating, injustice fighting, therapy providing, systems testing, family preserving, social conscious raising, data collecting, rights protecting, staff developing, human assisting, strengths focused, social rights championing, ego lending, and crisis intervening teacher, facilitator, listener, encourager, supporter, and leader with professionalism, integrity, concern, empathy, values, love, trust, honesty, and warmth.
How to get in touch?
If you feel you may need some assistance from the Social Worker, please request a referral through the Healthcare Centre. Alternatively, they can be contacted at the below contact details from Mondays to Fridays between 08:00 and 16:00.