After Nicole was finished explaining Silvia to me (whom I never met) we sat in the dining hall to discuss the responsibilities of a social worker. I learned that the power of attorney is a high legal position in which a family member or requested person must call the shots when the patient can no longer do so. I went on to learn that social workers go through the bereavement process for those whom passed (giving letters, condolences, support, and next steps). We then discussed the situation involved with weaning an individual off of life support and all of the paperwork involved. We talked about living situations with patients as well (personal living, spouse living, home living, assisted living, and 24 hour assisted living). From all this …show more content…
This patient had been a veteran and had nearly lost his ability to speak due to ALS. He had hands stuck in the claw position with minimal function. In his house the military provided him with a scooter, various ramps, and mechanical devices. This gentleman’s name was Ned, whom was extremely quiet, but made up for it in the few words he said and the smile he constantly wore. He still takes walks in his neighborhood and travels around the country supporting his Patriots football team. Ned was being dropped from hospice and shifted over to Palliative Care for those whom are healthy and thriving. After seeing Ned and having a break, Nicole and I went onto Twining Village. Here was a veteran named William from the WW2 and Korean War. William was a financial officer in both wars and was able to travel frequently. William was in his late 80s and doing extremely well. His health was superb and he was highly functional. William enjoyed reading history books, watching Bonanza, and living on a schedule. He was a nice individual whom said few words, but was pleasing to hear. After visiting and leaving William, we had to head to a bakery to get a woman Penny, her gift of the …show more content…
I learned that one must have a good sense of time and a good sense of value for patients and families. The patience goes with the paperwork and the frustration with the social work responsibility. I saw that social workers do all of their work in the field or in their car; spending little to no time in the office. I liked how social workers were outdoors and actively doing different views. I loved meeting the individuals and finding out their individual stories. I enjoy the heart that social workers must have in order to connect on an emotional level. I was able to see the division of opinion and work and see where lines cannot be crossed. The structure and order of operations was comforting to see because it’s not an “all on you” job. I loved seeing how familiar and friendly other workers were towards one another. I gained a huge respect towards all of the workers and families supporting each hospice patient because it’s very emotionally