The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll, in some form or another, on pretty much every industry, and has put people out of work in pretty much every industry. One place not affected by the latter is the healthcare industry, and though hospital workers certainly deserve all the praise they are receiving, and then some, those in the mental health sector have really had to step up as well. As anxiety and stress are naturally heightened by the pandemic, social workers and other experts in the field have had to take on heavy workloads and deal with patients who are experiencing those heightened levels of stress.
Here are some ways social workers and other mental health experts have been taking their already demanding jobs to new heights to help those in need in this unprecedented time.
Social Work Defined
Social work is as fairly broad term, but also a pretty good descriptor. Historically, social workers have been advocates for civil rights and racial equality, they have provided and petitioned for better healthcare for low-income communities and people with disabilities, and have also helped elderly communities undertake their day-to-day activities.
The history of social work began as charitable donations of time to help those in need. It has evolved to be an occupation, but much like those of teachers and nurses, the compensation isn’t buying yachts and the vast majority of these people do their jobs to help members of their communities lead better lives.
As time progressed, social work expanded to assist with community members recovering from addiction or other mental issues like depression and suicidal thoughts. In dealing with some of these individuals, social workers also can wind up in harms way, but do so willingly, for the good of those they serve. From inequality, to disenfranchisement, to educational disparities, to climate initiatives and beyond, social workers continue to show up every day to fight part of “the good fight” and COVID-19 hasn’t slowed them down.
Social Work – COVID
Part of the job for many social workers is checking up on clients in-home. With the pandemic, this adds another level of uncertainty to the job, and going to provide mental treatment to a patient at their home is every bit as “front line” as treating a patient with a positive COVID test in a hospital setting.
Given the blunt fact that there is, indeed, a pandemic in the air, psychological issues like anxiety and stress are also heightened, making some patients more difficult to work with than usual. Thus, social workers need to take extra precautions regarding mental health, just as they do with coronavirus-related practices like sanitization.
Social Workers also deal with children in need and child protective services, so with students moving from the classroom to the home for school, the number of family interactions has greatly increased, and keeping an eye on kids to ensure they are receiving their education is now more difficult than ever, but social workers have been up to the task.
The pandemic hasn’t been particularly good on relationships, either, and social workers are also responsible for checking in on victims of domestic violence, which has seen a rise since stay-at-home orders have been put into place.
Helping Heroes
Whether it be a social worker or someone working in physical health, we have to remember that these people are experiencing all of the same changes that we are due to COVID, and then they have to go help other people deal with their own issues every single day. Hero might be an understatement, as suicide rates have greatly increased during stand down periods, and social workers and mental health experts have been cast into the spotlight to help keep these numbers at bay.
From children to the elderly, coronavirus would be even more of a challenge if not for the dedicated men and women in social work.
Photo Credit
Photo is Wikimedia Creative Commons
Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren
With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.
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