Hug Your Social Worker!
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) introduced National Professional Social Work Month for the first time in March 1963. The original purpose was to encourage public support and interest in social work as a profession. In 1984, the White House officially recognized March as National Professional Social Work Month. The theme for the 2018 Social Work Month is Social Workers: Leaders, Advocates and Champions.
Here are a few examples of what LeadingAge NY members' social workers are doing every day to better the lives of residents, families, and staff and to help improve their organizations:
- Facilitating an Alzheimer's support group. Family members find help coping with the decline in their loved ones in the facility, and some go on to help others in the community.
- Creating a positive thinking group to assist residents with adjusting to residing at a facility and coping with new situations.
- Connecting with the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Waiver to be able to discharge residents back into the community.
- Helping to safeguard a resident who was the victim of a financial scheme and working with the bank to have her money restored to her account.
- Publishing a resident newsletter.
- Establishing a Family Council.
- Providing a family education series on long term care issues.
- Organizing a "white elephant" sale for staff to assist with medical bills.
- Helping a resident who wanted a tattoo to get one.
- Helping residents to connect with families living far away through Skype and FaceTime.
- Coordinating telepsych services so that residents experiencing problems may be evaluated and treated quickly.
These are just a few examples of the important work that social workers do every day that impacts positively on residents. Social Work Month is an opportunity to tell your social workers how much you value their work.
Contact: Elliott Frost, efrost@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8832