Medical and mental health conditions can impact the whole family’s well-being. Meeting with the social worker is an opportunity for families to discuss their concerns and stress.
At BC Children’s Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre, social workers can assist patient families through difficult times by collaborating in crisis intervention teams and with the community, providing support and counselling. Such difficulties may include medical emergencies, mental health crises, end-of-life care, family conflicts, discharge planning challenges, stress, and burnout.
Social workers support patient families through assessments, safety planning, resource allocation, counselling, and education. We aim to ensure a cohesive healthcare approach by coordinating communication among care teams. Social Workers also collaborate with community agencies for continued support.
When a medical and/or mental health condition leads to a loss, the patient families can experience a range of difficult feelings. This loss is not limited to life-threatening situations, and can encompass many types of losses associated with health struggles. Social workers can assist families to navigate this loss, offering support through individual, family, and group counseling, as well as facilitating access to necessary resources.
