Social worker

Here are some topics Support Workers (SWs) can help with:

Emotional support

• Counselling: Providing emotional support and counselling to help cope with the diagnosis and its impact on mental health. SWs provide individual, couple, or family counselling to help clients and their love ones to cope with the emotional challenges of Parkinson’s, finding new balance in their life, dealing with loss and grief as well as depression and anxiety.
• Stress management: Offering strategies to manage stress and anxiety related to living with Parkinson’s.
• Supporting carers: SWs provide support and resources to carers, helping them manage their own wellbeing while caring for their loved ones. SWs refer care partners to carer support services and arrange in-home planned respite or residential respite.

Practical support

• Navigating healthcare: Assisting with accessing healthcare services, including referrals to specialists and allied health professionals. SWs help clients and caregivers to understand and access health care, including coordinating appointments, understanding treatment options, and connecting with specialists, as well as navigate NDIS /MAC service system.
• Medication management: Helping to organise and manage medications, including understanding side-effects and interactions.
• Assistance with daily living: help with practical aspects of daily living, such as managing medications management service, arranging transportation, and finding home care services.
• Accessing community resources: Link up with community resources such as support groups, My Aged Care services, and financial assistance programs, etc.
• Education: Educate clients and caregivers about the disease, symptoms, available treatments, and how to manage symptoms effectively.

Financial assistance

• Government benefits: Providing information on available government benefits and helping with the application process.
• Financial planning: Offering advice on managing finances and planning for future care needs.

Maintaining social connection

• Support groups: Connecting people with Parkinson’s support groups for social interaction and shared experiences.
• Community resources: Identifying local resources and services that can provide additional support.

Care coordination

• Care plans: Assisting in developing personalised care plans that address the individual’s specific needs and goals.
• Family support: Providing support and education for family members and caregivers to help them understand and manage the condition.

Carer support

For the carers of people with Parkinson’s and related conditions topics covered may include:

• The importance of caring for yourself
• What is carer stress and how to avoid carer burnout
• The emotions that come with caring
• Carer support agencies (Carer Gateway, Carers Australia, state organisations, young carer network)
• Navigating services and supports for the person with Parkinson’s over 65 My Aged Care (Support at Home) or under 65s NDIS
• Concessions and carer benefits available (e.g. Carer payment, carer allowance, young carer bursary program)
• Advanced Care Planning
• Respite – planned or emergency respite, in-home or residential care options
• Planning for the future

Advocacy

• SWs advocate for clients’ needs within the healthcare system, ensuring their voices are heard and their preferences are respected.
• Ensure they received adequate services and support from either NDIS or MAC.

Early advance care planning

• SACAT (QACAT or VACAT in other states): SWs can facilitate and support early planning such as arranging legal documents such as Enduring Power of Attorney, support clients and their carer to identify service needs, and support SACAT applications when Parkinson’s clients lose capacity to make decisions.
• Advance Care Planning: Helping to create advance care directives and discussing end-of-life preferences and wishes.

Examples of how social workers work with people living with Parkinson’s.

Following hospitalisation, some people with Parkinson’s might have changed community needs and a social worker can help navigate these. Such as:

• Counselling regarding changing care needs, navigating when formal carers enter the home and directing care effectively, supporting family members to have care in the home and how to navigate this well.
• Systemic navigation if you need to reduce work due to your health and need help applying for disability support payments or Centrelink support, social workers can assist with this.
• Changes in sexual functioning or intimate relationships can be overwhelming and talking about these can offer relief and practical solutions. Psychosexual therapy can help individuals and couples navigate the impact of Parkinson’s on sexuality. Also see the Society of Australian Sexologists. There are many social workers who are also psychosexual therapists.

How do I access a social worker?

Accessing welfare services can make a significant difference in managing the symptoms of Parkinson’s, improving quality of life and maintaining independence.

It’s advisable to explore all available pathways to find the support that best suits your individual needs. Look to:

• getting a GP referral to a social worker with Parkinson‘s experience
• your state-based Parkinson’s organisation for advice on local social workers, they may have one on staff
• private health to see what is covered in relation to social work consultations and expenses
• NDIS or My Aged Care plan supports.