Social workers are important members of the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT). Here, Nancy Lewis, LCSW, discusses the role of the social worker in helping CenterLight PACE participants live safely and independently in their own homes.
What is the role of the social worker?
In the social work department, we positively impact our participants’ well-being by providing emotional support, counseling, referrals, even family involvement. We encourage the family to be involved in the participant’s care.
Our participants know they can come to us if they have a question, if they have a problem, if they have a bill they don’t understand. They know they can turn to the social worker and the social worker will help them as best as they can.
How does the social worker collaborate with the rest of the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT)?
As a member of the IDT, we collaborate together to discuss patient care, their effective treatment, plan of care, family involvement, as well as any other aspects in their lives that might hinder their well-being.
Each participant is assigned a social worker
Another important aspect of Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and CenterLight is that each individual participant is assigned a social worker, who stays with them through the course of their time in the program. They get to know us, we establish rapport, a relationship, and they learn to trust us and to come to us for any of their needs.
Our participants don’t have to wait for an appointment to see the social worker. They know that they can call us at any time, and any question is not too small or too great. Their family members can contact us, we’re at the centers, we’re in the homes, we’re in the Day Health Centers, we even go to hospitals if someone is unfortunately hospitalized.
Why did you become a social worker?
I truly feel that I was meant to be a social worker. I enjoy listening to people, I enjoy helping them as best as I can, I think I’m almost relentless in trying to find a solution for people and also encouraging and engaging them. They have to feel that they are not only being helped, but they are a part of the process. It makes he happy to see them happy.
H3329_2019_BlogSocialWork Approved 11262019
Last updated September 27, 2019
About the writer
Nancy Lewis has been a Social Worker at CenterLight for more than 8 years!