Hospice of the Chesapeake & Chesapeake Supportive Care
Prince George's County
9500 Medical Center Drive
Suite #250
Largo, MD 20774
877-462-1101
Anne Arundel County
90 Ritchie Highway
Suites A & B
Pasadena, MD 21122
410-987-2003
Charles County
2505 Davis Road
Waldorf, MD 20603
301-861-5300
Burnett Center for Hope & Healing
P.O. Box 838
4559 Sixes Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-987-2003
More Hospice & Palliative Care Articles
3 Surprising Roles Of a Hospice Social Worker
Most patients and families are not experts in the end-of-life experience. A hospice social worker typically has walked with many families and can use that experience to help them navigate the process. Here are three things hospice social workers do that might surprise you.
- Check for safety in the home: Are there loose rugs that someone could trip on? Is the path clear for a patient’s walker? Is there someone smoking around a patient who uses oxygen? Our eyes are going all over the place, making sure there are no safety hazards for the patient and their caregiver. But we also look for pictures and mementos that help to tell a patient’s story. Our goal is to establish trust, so we look for an ice breaker that can help us share some common ground. “Oh, is that a picture of you on your wedding day? Can you tell me about it?”
- Assist with funeral arrangements: There is so much to do when planning a funeral or memorial service. Social workers are experts at checking off the boxes. We provide resources for families to choose a funeral home or crematorium and work with the Veterans Administration for a military burial. We make sure that when the time comes, their loved one’s body is lovingly and respectfully cared for.
- Guard the patient’s wishes: This is the number one priority of a social worker. Even though the families may want them to live forever, what the hospice team must keep at the forefront is the patient’s wants and needs. We believe the patient has the right to say how they want to live their final days, where they want to die. If they want to go out listening to Van Halen, we’ll make it happen. Social workers do their best to celebrate the patient’s life. We have arranged early graduations of their children and bedside weddings. One last crab feast. A final trip to Ocean City. If it can be done, we can work with the family to make it happen.
Social workers are an important link in the connection with the full hospice care team. We try to pair up with the nurse, chaplain, nursing assistant or nurse practitioner on visits. Not only does it help us learn about the patient from other team members, but it underlines for the patients and their families that we are on their team.
Other Articles You May Find of Interest...
- Hospice Chaplains: Religion Linkers and Spiritual Cheerleaders
- 3 Ways Nature-Informed Therapy Can Heal A Grieving Heart
- How Counseling Can Help You Face Important Anniversaries When Grieving
- Don’t Deny Your Loved One Comfort Because Of These Morphine Myths
- Living With ALS
- COPD: When Is It Time To Choose Hospice Care?
- How Hospice Social Workers Make Everyday Moments That Matter