When a senior needs ongoing nursing care, assistance with daily tasks, or simply some companionship, many families seek home health care. One of the most important members of an in-home care team is the social worker. While senior social workers perform a variety of tasks, here are three of their most common responsibilities.

What Do Senior Social Workers Do?

1. Assess

To determine the care a client requires, a social worker will sit down with both the senior and their caregivers to get to know them, establish trust, and determine their concerns, goals, and needs. 

Once the assessment is over, the social worker will discuss the results with an interdisciplinary team consisting of medical staff, occupational and physical therapists, and other professionals. The team will then formulate a personalized care plan, which may involve resources like community support, medication management, or physical therapy. 

2. Advocate 

A social worker ensures seniors receive fair, compassionate treatment. They educate themselves about legislative policies that may impact seniors and assist vulnerable individuals with tasks such as securing financial assistance, housing, and transportation.

A social worker will also report any signs of abuse or neglect to home health care administrators and law enforcement officials.

A medical social worker, who assists seniors after a medical event such as an illness or hospitalization, will ensure clients receive adequate and compassionate care from their physicians. 

3. Educate

Social workers educate seniors and their caregivers to ensure the senior receives proper care. For example, after the initial assessment, the social worker will provide a written summary of the home health care team’s diagnosis and personalized care plan. They’ll also supply literature about relevant concerns like dementia, stress management, senior driving restrictions, caregiver respite, and treatment options for medical issues.

If you’re searching for compassionate home health care in Honolulu, turn to the team at CareResource Hawaii. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau®, these caregivers allow seniors to stay healthy and happy in the comfort of their own homes by providing personal care, nursing services, physical and speech therapy, companionship, and other invaluable forms of elderly assistance. Learn more about their senior care services online, and call (808) 599-4999 to schedule a consultation.