Social workers help individuals, groups, and communities enhance or restore their social, physical, and psychological functioning. They also provide community education on a wide range of topics and issues.
Social workers help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges, including: physical illness, poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, divorce, loss, unemployment, educational problems, disability, and mental illness. Social workers help prevent crises and counsel individuals, families, and communities so that they can cope more effectively with the stresses of everyday life. They are able to guide patients and their families through the challenging decision-making process that arises when a home no longer meets a patient’s needs. Social workers advise patients and their families about options such as independent and assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, or other long-term placements.
At the Natick VNA, social workers work with interdisciplinary teams of nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nutritionists, and home care aides to assist patients and families.
The services of a social worker may include:
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Adjusting to an illness; and
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Linkage and assistance with community resources needed such as: meals on wheels, elder care services, legal aid, prescription, fuel, and food assistance, funding sources, long term care education and planning, the MBTA Ride, and state and federal programs including Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
To provide optimal care for the community, social workers also collaborate with community organizations, including:
