FEATURE ARTICLE: March 16, 2009 For immediate release

MEDIA CONTACT:
Beverly Crowl, Public Relations Specialist
302-547-1816 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

One patient, recently admitted to Delaware Hospice, wondered if the social worker assigned to her was coming over to check if her house was clean. In fact, the role of social workers and the vast scope of support that they offer is perhaps one of the least understood benefits of hospice care.

Social Worker Lisa Carr from Delaware Hospice’s Wilmington office, talked about key responsibilities of her position: “We give emotional support and educate the patient and family, including children and teens, about the disease process. We provide information and referrals for community-based resources such as Meals-on-Wheels, financial resources, and funeral homes. We visit patients in nursing homes, attend their care plan meetings, and work with the facility’s staff. Likewise, we visit patients who are hospitalized and collaborate with hospital staff and family for discharge planning. We educate and assist with paperwork such as Advance Directives, Power of Attorney. We become a therapeutic presence to patients and families, open and willing to discuss what they’re going through.”

Here’s a closer look at what that entails.

“We do almost anything and everything,” said Ronnie Grady, Social Worker at Delaware Hospice’s Dover Office. “We sit with patients and listen to their life stories. We help them write down things they want to leave behind for their loved ones. We’ve helped them find homes for pets. When they don’t have food in the home, we’ve gone searching for food. If their bills are unpaid, we contact their creditors and see what they will accept. We’ve found furniture for people who needed furniture.”

If a family is lonely, Ronnie said they might call the family and encourage them to pay a visit. If they have no family, a volunteer might go instead. Social workers help with nursing home placement and explain how the Medicaid process works.

The dedicated individuals who serve on hospice teams have been known to step way out of the box of clearly defined responsibilities. Ronnie added, “I’ve washed dishes, run the vacuum, put out trash and fixed a meal—as have our nurses, nursing assistants, and chaplains on the hospice team. A need is a need, and you don’t always wait for the next person to come along to meet it. “

Lisa remembered a patient suffering from neuropathy which limited movement in his arms, hands and fingers. He was a veteran who was fiercely guarding his independence and trying to remain in his home. She said, “I found myself shoveling and salting his wheelchair ramp, fixing his lunch, or helping him open and review his mail—whatever I could do to help him keep his treasured wish for independence.”

Sara Devleeschouwer, as Social Worker at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford, feels privileged to have the opportunity to share with patients during such an intimate time, when you are privy to life stories which may not have ever been shared with anyone else.

She said, “At the Center, we talk to patients and family about their plan of care when they leave the Center--arranging to get people back home, helping with a nursing home or private hire, or whatever their particular needs might be. Sometimes that discussion can be difficult when what they think they can do and the reality are two completely different things. Sometimes people are frightened and just need to be taught that this is what the care entails and to be assured that our home care team will be there to help.”

Sara is always amazed at the courage of patients and families. She said, “Most folks have never dealt with medical equipment. Some just grab onto the challenge and go for it. The power of love never ceases to amaze me and I feel so fortunate to be witness to it every day.”

She added, “We work with a wonderful team; we communicate well and couldn’t do our jobs without the nurses and nursing assistants who are with those patients every day and identify their needs. They are our eyes and ears.”

All agree that the benefits of working with hospice patients and families far outweigh any perceived negative aspects.

“Hospice work is wonderful for so many reasons,” explained Sara. “It puts your own life in perspective. You witness the strength of the human spirit seeing families struggling and pulling together. Some grab your heart and steal it whether you want them to or not. Sometimes I walk away from a situation and think to myself, ‘This is why I do what I do.’ Things transpire, you see emotional growth, or perhaps you just get to listen or be present with someone who needs that. It is truly endearing when families hug me and say what a wonderful experience they’ve been through.”

Lisa said, “To me, our work is very compelling. Every day is different and presents itself with its own unique set of gifts and challenges. I feel privileged and humbled that families allow a complete stranger into their lives to help them. We bear witness every day to families’ love and care of their loved ones. We see people at their best, and sometimes at their worse. We are privy to their tears and laughter, to their fears and hopes. I have a much deeper appreciation for the health of my family and myself. In addition, I have had the opportunity to work with and continue to learn from so many talented, dedicated professionals within Delaware Hospice.”

“The satisfaction comes from knowing that you made someone’s life a little better because you have cared,” concluded Ronnie Grady. “We are all put on this earth to make the world a kinder and better place.”

By Beverly Crowl, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PHOTO CAPTION: A few of Delaware Hospice social workers gathered for a team meeting. Left to right: Earline Vann, BSc; Linda L. Wills, MSEd; Megan Youtz; Diane Willoughby, MSW,LSW; Barbara Buckingham, MSW; Lisa Carr, MSW, LCSW; Barbara McKeever, MSW, LCSW; Barbara Bernhardt, LCSW, CT; and Kathleen Seipel, MSW.

About Delaware Hospice
Since 1982, Delaware Hospice has provided exceptional care and support to 30,000 patients and their families. Its mission is to help each patient, each day, live the fullest, most comfortable life possible. Delaware Hospice is the largest and only licensed, nonprofit, community-based hospice serving New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties in Delaware and southern Chester and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania. For more information about Delaware Hospice’s programs and services, upcoming events, or employment opportunities, call 800-838-9800 or visit our website, www.delawarehospice.org.