Social Workers

The Role of Social Work

The onset of illness or injury frequently disrupts personal and family lifestyles. It may also impose changes accompanied by new or unexpected stress.

At London Health Sciences Centre, social workers are available in all hospital programs to assist patients and their families with any difficulties that may result from a hospitalization or adjustment to a medical condition.

LHSC’s social workers are members of the health care team, professionally trained in providing individual, family and group therapy. Social workers seek to understand all patients in relation to their family needs, social supports and community ties.

All Social Workers are registered with The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), the provincial regulatory body.

Renal Social Workers

Renal social workers are available in all parts of the program to assist patients and their families adjust to chronic renal failure and to the eventual need for dialysis. This includes;

Chronic Kidney Disease Clinics
Kidney Transplant Clinics
Hemodialysis Units
Home Hemodialysis Units
Peritoneal Dialysis Units

Our goal is to assist patients and their families to normalize life as much as possible and to enable them to continue to lead a meaningful and active life.

How I coped with my own stress as a family member YouTube Video

Some of the ways that renal social workers can help are:

Counselling patients and families in adjusting to chronic renal disease/dialysis
Assisting with decision-making around dialysis treatment options
Address sources of stress and conflict
Preparing for admission to hospital or outpatient procedures
Discharge planning-assisting with plans to leave hospital including residential placement
Making connections to services within the hospital and in the community
Assisting families to obtain financial help, accommodations, or home support services
Co-facilitate kidney disease education classes and ongoing patient education