Five Ways Social Workers Support Elderly Individuals and Their Families

Caring for an older family member facing the challenges of aging can be a source of significant stress for families. As aging brings about various health issues, mobility limitations, and often, the need for constant long-term care, families may find themselves navigating unfamiliar territory, trying to balance the emotional, physical, and financial demands of caregiving. 

Families are often the source of caregiving when Long-Ternm Care Insurance is not in place. The National Center for Caregiving (NCC) reports that 41.5 million adults in the U.S. provided unpaid care to an older adult in 2023, highlighting the vast need for professional support.

The complexity of managing medical appointments, home care needs, and the potential transition to assisted living or nursing homes can be overwhelming. This stress is compounded by the desire to ensure that their loved one receives compassionate, competent care while maintaining their dignity and quality of life.

Help is Available

In these challenging times, social workers, including case managers, emerge as invaluable resources for families. With their expertise in navigating the health system and their understanding of the needs of the elderly, they can offer guidance, support, and practical solutions that ease the burden on families. 

Case managers assess the needs of older individuals and work with families to develop a comprehensive care plan. They can connect families with essential services, from in-home care providers to suitable assisted living facilities, and help secure financial assistance or benefits from Long-Term Care Insurance, Medicare, or, for those who qualify, Medicaid, which can offset the cost of care. 

Dr. Stephanie Nothelle, a geriatrician and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, noted in an interview on NPR that while hospitals and medical practices employ care managers, these professionals frequently face high patient loads. According to Nothelle, private-pay professionals, who serve clients directly, can often provide more effective support due to their focused approach.

By acting as advocates for the elderly and their families, social workers play a critical role in managing the complexities of aging, providing families with peace of mind and the support needed to make informed decisions about their loved one's care.

Specialized Skills

Social workers caring for older adults have specialized knowledge and are known as gerontology or geriatric social workers. Aging comes with many challenges that can be hard to navigate. This is where social workers come in. They assist you and your senior loved one in addressing the difficulties associated with the aging process, promoting independence, dignity, and autonomy later in their lives. Below are five ways social workers can help you and your elderly loved ones.

Care Coordination

Social workers can help you and your senior loved one with care coordination, which involves purposefully organizing various services and teams to effectively address an older adult's overall care needs, including:

• Cognitive
• Physical
• Social
• Emotional

Care coordination includes completing psychosocial evaluations to inform the entire care team of a senior's needs. It also involves facilitating or taking part in meetings between various care providers to talk about health and treatment outcomes and communicating the desires and concerns of a patient and their loved ones to the team in charge of their care. 

Besides having specialized knowledge acquired through online MSW programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, a dependable social worker should be passionate about working with and for the elderly.

Guidance Through Long-Term Care Admission

When older adults transition to long-term care, they're cared for by a multi-disciplinary team, including dieticians, therapists, and nurses. Your geriatric social worker can help evaluate your loved one's needs and team up with the care team to develop a personalized care plan. 

Navigating the health system can be daunting. Social workers assist in coordinating care among different health providers, managing medications, and understanding medical conditions. This coordination helps prevent health issues from escalating, allowing older adults to manage their health more effectively and maintain their independence.

The social worker can also sit with you and respond to any queries you may have regarding your elderly loved one's care while providing details on things like financial planning, making a claim for Long-Term Care Insurance, and for those with little or no income and assets qualifying for Medicaid benefits. If you have any legal questions, a knowledgeable social worker will answer basic questions and provide the necessary resources to learn more.

Therapy and Counseling

Social workers offer therapy and counseling services to older adults to help them deal with emotional, psychological, financial, and social challenges associated with aging. Additionally, provide advice and therapy to a senior's family and loved ones as needed. Social workers can use various psychotherapeutic tactics during sessions with your elderly loved one to help them:

• Set life improvement objectives
• Manage negative emotions
• Address psychological barriers or behavioral issues to attaining specific goals
• Prepare for end-of-life

When working with you, social workers can help you manage the challenges you may encounter caring for a senior loved one, such as strains on relationships/ financial resources and processing the feelings around loss.

Prevent Loneliness and Social Isolation

Loneliness and social isolation have devastating effects on a senior's overall health. These conditions are linked to higher risks for various mental and physical diseases, including:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• A weak immune system
• Cognitive decline
• Anxiety and depression
• Alzheimer's disease
• Death

Recognizing that social isolation can impact independence and well-being, social workers facilitate connections to social activities, support groups, and volunteer opportunities. This not only enriches the lives of older adults but also encourages a sense of community and belonging.

Social workers will help older adults find ways to establish a support network of family and friends and remain connected with their communities.

Help Seniors Maintain Independence

A survey found that 77% of seniors want to stay in their homes for the long term. Social workers can advise older adults on the assistive devices and home modifications that can help them remain independent for as long as possible.

Take Advantage of the Help

Too often, families will not take advantage of available services and attempt to do everything independently. Going alone is not beneficial to the older adult or the family. 

Qualified care coordinators and social workers will help develop an appropriate plan of care, find qualified caregivers and facilities, and even work with Long-Term Care Insurance to make the process easier. The role eases the stress otherwise placed on family members. Many LTC policies will pay for this service. 

By addressing the holistic needs of older adults, social workers, and care coordinators ensure that the necessary support structures are in place for them to live as independently as possible, even when facing the challenges of aging and the need for long-term care.