Social workers and social service workers are an integral part of our health care teams across Providence Care.

Social workers and social service workers are connecting with patients, clients, residents and their loved ones during some of the most challenging periods of their lives, all at a time when the healthcare system and community resources are stretched.

Every inpatient at Providence Care Hospital (PCH) and Providence Transitional Care Centre (PTCC) is assigned a social worker or social service worker to their care team. Social worker Rachel Holthof works with patients at Providence Transitional Care Centre (PTCC) and is an integral part of discharge planning and ongoing patient and family support.

“We’re all people who can thrive in chaos and be very flexible,” says Rachel. “It’s a part of the job to de-escalate any anxiety that might be felt on the unit. There are always so many jokes that I am the one running into a situation everyone might be running away from,” she says laughing.

At our hospitals, the length of time a social worker or social service worker spends with patients and clients can vary from days to months.

“Social workers and social service workers are navigating patients and clients through the uncertainty of what life looks like once they leave Providence Care,” says Patient Flow Manager for Access to Care and Transitions, Jessica Bonney.

“Both Social workers and social service workers are addressing the emotional, psychological and practical needs of our patient and client population and really bring a holistic approach to their care, looking after the whole person,” she adds.

Trudy Sickler has been a social worker for the last 35 years and has worked with mental health inpatients at Providence Care for the last 12 years.

“Most people are petrified when they arrive here so I really help clients and their family maneuver through the system and help them set their personal and family goals. I get to see my clients every day, which I love, plus I work with families to support them through the process. It’s anything from getting a new pair of socks, updating ID cards to therapeutic support and everything in-between leading up to discharge.”

Social worker Myra Emery works in both the hospital and community. At Providence Care Hospital, she supports patients and their families on the Seniors Mental Health unit, a secure unit dedicated to caring for seniors with cognitive conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s. One day a week she also works with the Dual Diagnosis Consultation Outreach Team which supports individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental health concerns.

“I love the patients I work with. They’re so interesting and there is never a dull moment, I really enjoy the work and get to meet tons of new people.”

Myra says her work in the hospital is to guide families through what they individually need, which can be anything from providing psycho-education on dementia, navigating the grief process and supporting them through their transition to long-term care. In the community, she says she helps provide therapeutic treatment and day-to-day supports to enable a client to live successfully in the community.

Amy Chesney is a Community Services Manager with Providence Care and oversees one of two community mental health programs that specialize in high-intensity support for people with psychotic illness and in crisis, unable to engage in office services or care.

“Our programs are a hospital without walls and our social workers lead with empathy and heart,” says Amy.

“Sometimes in community because we’re such an intensive service we see people who have been sick for a really long time and so improvement is pretty slow and you have to search for the wins. Social Workers find those wins. They are really good at sussing out strengths and they can notice change, even if it’s really small and that inspires the client to keep going,”

In the community, social workers support clients with medications, doctor’s appointments, food security and housing supports.

“Social workers have relationships based in recovery and recovery isn’t always linear,” Amy adds.

A social worker or social service worker will be the first to tell you they could not do their important work without the support of a team.

However, on this Social Work Week, Providence Care is shining a light on their invaluable role and unwavering dedication to the people they serve.

Thank you to our social workers and our social service workers who hold a special and safe space for our patients, clients and residents across our hospitals, long-term care home and in our community programs.

You are appreciated!