What Your dialysis center Social Worker Can Do For You
► Help to manage your kidney disease
Social workers help people on dialysis sort out all the information they need to know. Dialysis is like a new job—there is a lot to learn along the way to help patients succeed.
► Help you maximize your quality of life
Social workers continue to monitor how life is going after a person begins dialysis. They can give tips on adjusting to life with kidney disease and help patients feel as much as possible like their “old self” again.
What I should know if I'm feeling depressed:
► Help you continue your life goals
- Social workers assess and coach people who start dialysis back towards physical, emotional and social balance.
- Vocational rehabilitation: Social workers will help patients make plans for returning to work (if they desire) and help them access programs for retraining or education.
► Help family and friends understand
Social workers can help loved ones understand kidney disease and how they can become good “health support” partners.
► Make sure patients feel satisfied with their care
The dialysis social worker can help patients maintain a positive and trusting relationship with their dialysis center. Social workers help patients communicate any concerns they have to members of the treatment team.
► Help patients and families make important life decisions
Dialysis social workers will help patients and families gain and understand the information they need to make critical life decisions:
► Help patients access community resources
The dialysis social worker can help patients and their families understand and access resources that are available in the community such as:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Financial
- Medicare/Medicaid/COPES
