Our hospice team of social workers

World Social Work Day takes place every year on the third Tuesday of March, which was the 19th March this year. It is recognised by the social work profession worldwide as a day to celebrate the achievements of social work, and promote the contributions of the profession to individuals, families, communities and the wider society. 

In the Family & Individual Support Team we have three part-time social workers, Milena Strzetelska, Wendy Allen and myself to cover the working week. 

We work across the hospice providing practical, social and emotional support with all kinds of issues. In working with people and families we promote their self-determination in managing their lives in the way they want. We act as advocates for their needs with other professionals and agencies. 

We support people at the end of their lives to put their affairs in order, communicate meaningfully with their loved ones and to process their grief and loss. We help people to live as well as they can with the life they have left, so to enable them to leave their family with precious memories. 

Our work with family carers is in supporting them with practical issues around caring for a loved one, such as giving advice re care issues, or benefits & finances. We give them the emotional space to offload as well as helping them develop good self-care to enhance resilience in their caring role. 

Some examples of our work

Working with a man who has MND to give value to his life by using a poem to access memories of his life that he wishes to record for his family. In the process of putting this together he was able to share his deepest wishes and concerns. Also providing the family with some money to help pay for parking expenses for carers and family as they were struggling on benefits.  

Assistance was given to a man on the ward who desperately wanted to send money to his son in China before he died. This involved much advocacy with his bank, eventually taking him to the bank to achieve this. He died peacefully soon after. 

Visiting a couple at home to help them communicate more meaningfully together and do the things they want to do before he dies. Helping him to voice his fears and worries about dying. Supporting his wife to care for him in the way that best meets his needs.