Senescence is different from one individual to another and various factors are deemed to influence the process, among them being environmental factors, as indicated by Zastrow et al. (2019). The case of Francine suggests that alcoholic drinking, a lack of connection with family and friends due to her sexual orientation, and loneliness are the identifiable environmental factors triggering her aging process (Plummer et al., 2014). As Francine’s social worker, I would educate her about stages in life and factors around her that are bound to affect her quality of life. Cagle and Kovacs (2009) recommend educational intervention as a powerful one for social workers; hence, I would help Francine understand her situation and take ownership of subsequent remedial actions. These undertakings entail engagement in social groups that would allow her to cope with being alone as well as rehabilitative groups to help her in dealing with her social vices.
I recommend that Francine follows a healthy diet and engages in community and routine physical activities. It is important to help Francine maintain her vitality and energy in the best way she can and delay the effects of the aging process. Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman (2016) explain the positive effects of an active lifestyle by using the activity theory, claiming that as long as an older person perceives himself/herself to be useful to others, they are likely to remain productive and motivated. Later on, consistent exercise yields beneficial outcomes to their overall aging. Unfortunately, in the case of Francine, where she does not feel useful to anyone, she is bound to disengage. However, with encouragement and motivation, she can take part in community activities, such as fairs and exhibitions, where she can meet other people and eliminate the feelings of alienation and loneliness, which accelerate aging.
Assignment: End-of-Life Care and Social Work Practice
The social worker is paramount at the end-of-life stage because they help patients, their families, and friends to address pertinent psychosocial needs. These essentials may vary based on geographical zones so that in some areas, the social workers undertake activities that pose as underlying factors for what patients want. Herber and Johnston (2013) indicate that meeting the patients’ personal needs and providing emotional and social support to both family and friends are significant responsibilities for social workers. Watts (2013) indicates that in addition to nursing, medicine, and other complementary therapies, social workers provide practical and psychosocial care to those on the verge of dying. However, practical needs affect the patients indirectly as compared to personal needs, for example, resolving insurance disputes or arranging for the provision of additional help when needed. Thereby, there is a need for scholars and researchers to elaborate on the role of social workers as personal care providers, which tends to overlap with the nurses’ roles.
While providing emotional and social support, social workers ensure that patients receive spiritual care aligned with their beliefs and values. These workers provide more care compared to family members because, besides their profession, they are committed to making sure that the dying person is comfortable and at peace. Patients have different cultural dispositions, and since social workers are meant to provide warm and genuine care, all clients’ needs must be addressed. As a result, these professionals go the extra mile of bringing a spiritual leader on board to help address the divine needs of dying individuals with fears and uncertainties about their death.
As advocates, the social workers ensure that they strengthen the needed social networks so that a patient’s transition between life and death is not overwhelming. Families also receive the right responses to accept their loss, and these professionals act as the bridge between families and other healthcare providers. It is, however, important for these workers to be conversant with the proposed eleven competencies as they adopt the expected demeanor (Bosma et al., 2010). Herber and Johnston (2013) illustrate the high level of commitment displayed by these workers using previous studies, which have indicated that social workers go the extra mile of maintaining professionalism. The fact that social workers are part of an interdisciplinary team means that other healthcare professionals must understand how social workers fit in the group to avoid an overlap of roles. Nursing and psychology are the salient colliding professions with a subtle demarcation, but social work is more diverse as professionals go to the extent of addressing the underlying factors.
A social worker is an ever-present figure in the last moments of a dying person and will ensure this person’s final wishes are fulfilled to foster a peaceful transition from life to death. Social workers are required to display various competencies that allow them to show professionalism when dealing with individuals of different cultural backgrounds (Watts, 2013). As opposed to the psychologists and nurses who are in a distinct line of care, these workers are in the best position to offer a myriad of services for those receiving palliative care. Social workers are professionals performing an array of tasks to cover their clients’ diversified needs; hence, they are excellent links between healthcare providers and clients in a multidisciplinary team caring for a dying person.
References
Cagle, J. G., & Kovacs, P. J. (2009). Education: A complex and empowering social work intervention at the end of life. Health & Social Work, 34(1), 17–27.
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Plummer, S. B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Laureate International Universities Publishing.
Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Empowerment series: Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K. & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Bosma, H., Johnston, M., Cadell, S., Wainwright, W., Abernethy, N., Feron, A., Kelley, M. L., & Nelson, F. (2010). Creating social work competencies for practice in hospice palliative care. Palliative Medicine, 24(1), 79–87. Web.
Herber, O. R., & Johnston, B. M. (2013). The role of healthcare support workers in providing palliative and end-of-life care in the community: A systematic literature review. Health and Social Care in the Community, 21(3), 225-235. Web.
Watts, J. H. (2013). Considering the role of social work in palliative care: Reflections from the literature. European Journal of Palliative Care, 20(4), 199–201.