Hi! My name is Heather, I am a Social Worker. I proudly hold a Master’s Degree in Social Work! Through the years, I have been told by several people in life that I was born to be a social worker and at first that was weird to me…but as life got lived, turns out, its real! And now I believe I was CREATED to be a social worker! That calling hasn’t always been easy. If the truth were to be told, you would know that filling social work shoes usually comes with some co-dependencies issues you have to work through…yikes! Such as… I may or may not be familiar with the struggle of it so much easier to take care of other people and their problems than face your own. So. Real. And lets face it. There are always other people to take care of! It has taken me YEARS to name that struggle…. and then to attempt to find balance… and honestly I am still working on finding it. Anywho… back to what I know as a social worker that can help you… 😉
So my resume would start off with that I have worked in Child Protective Services (CPS) for 2 months short of 6 years. It was alot. And. That’s a story for another day. But truthfully it was a work experience that taught me some incredible skills that continue to be applicable to all other areas of social work I have worked in. There are still some incredible people working in this field that is much needed. After my CPS experience, I was never ever going to be a social worker again. However, after nearly a year working part time at an awesome little magazine supply company and doing farmer’s markets where I sold dog treats and crocheted rugs, I decided to work in a nursing home. I thought it would be low key. You know, slow paced. Ha! It was pretty much ANYTHING BUT slow-paced!
But I LOVED IT!
So often families and spouses of those aging and declining in health are frantic to keep loved ones safe. There is little talk about what their wishes are, and no actual plans or discussions about how to meet with needs in a respectful, Dignified manner.
In the Nursing Home, I enjoyed working with nursing home staff who had service hearts and enjoyed working with families that needed help and support in caring for their elderly person. But most of all I LOVED working with the elderly. I quickly learned that they are truly a forgotten population in our society! I realized in this first nursing home social worker role (and every role since) that we don’t talk about aging and loss of independence and all that goes with that! It’s a pretty big topic of life, that ideally most of us get to…
And if you are aging and have not talked about it, well, you are probably dead or making others miserable as they try to take care of you.
Harsh. I know. But true.
I believe with my whole heart that is what each person deserves. To have respect and dignity in your elder years.
So often we react to major events or situations, such as broken hips or falls down the steps and with seemingly accidental decline in mobility rather than planning for it, expecting changes to happen, and then actually knowing our options having a plan that is communicated and AND feasible options followed through with.
In this Blog I want to empower people aging, to live as independently as long as is possible and safe. And in the mean time, to help you plan for changes and know what to expect vs having to react to change in crisis mode. I hope to help you and your family plan financially, for physical space, or care-giving, and talking honestly about what your goals are, what your priorities are. Sadly often our financial ability often dictates what we do. But I am excited to share that in the last few years, even Medicaid has new options for lesser restrictive environments when people need extra help! I am excited to share what I know!
So! Here is to moving forward! Learning about options and hopefully finding options that sit well with you as hope and living life!
Hoping good things for you today – Heather