Medical social services are designed to support the patient’s emotional needs and to provide assistance with end-of-life planning.
Though it’s obvious that hospice patients need medical care and their family and friends need bereavement support, social services play a key role in the care of those nearing the end of their life.
Social services encompasses logistics planning, emotional support, and financial assistance. Though hospice care is typically covered by Medicare or other major insurers, unexpected expenses and challenges may arise, requiring medical social services.
Divine Grace Hospice provides crucial medical social services to hospice patients and their families and loved ones during this critical time. Our team is equipped with the experience and resources to ensure every hospice patient, family member, and loved one is supported during the patient’s end-of-life journey.
We strive to provide exceptional care and support that only a family can give during this difficult time. Our medical social services team plays a key role in hospice care.
The Role of Social Workers in Hospice
To deliver quality medical social services, our team is composed of licensed clinical social workers and other medical professionals who understand the emotional, psychological, social, medical, and familial challenges individuals face during the end-of-life journey.
Caring for a terminally-ill family member or loved one can turn the simplest of tasks into an overwhelming burden. Grocery shopping and household tasks can cause fears of missing a loved one’s final breath or moment on earth.
In addition, family members and loved ones may argue about critical medical decisions, such as resuscitating a hospice patient if a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order had not been prepared in advance.
Though hospice care may be covered by insurance, the loss of income that occurs when a family member is forced into becoming a caregiver is not. As a result, families may struggle to pay bills, such as for electricity to power the medical equipment in the home. Family members may also struggle with funeral planning. The challenges of pediatric hospice can be even more overwhelming.
These burdens and responsibilities can steal precious time away from the loved one. The end-of-life journey should be spent comforting the hospice patient and treasuring the final moments. This is why medical social services are the answer to the challenges families face with hospice.
Overview of Medical Social Services
Our team of medical social workers offer emotional support, connect family members with community resources, and assist with end-of-life planning. Our social workers are also equipped to assist families with the following:
- Advance Directives
- Long Term Care Planning
- Funeral Planning
- Accessing Caregiver Resources
- Care Meetings
Does Every Hospice Patient Need Social Services?
We believe the end-of-life journey should be completed with the help and support of a medical social services team. We assist hospice patients and their families to identify their needs and determine the best way to help and support them.
The medical social services team works closely with the hospice care team to ensure the patient receives the highest quality of care, every step of the way. Contact our team to learn more about our medical social services.