Hospice Medical Social Worker

Why Join Us as a Hospice Medical Social Worker?

As a trained Medical Social Worker at Optimal Care Hospice, you'll provide compassionate support to patients and families living with terminal illnesses. You'll play a critical role in enhancing patients' quality of life by coordinating care, managing day-to-day needs, establishing and evaluating goals, and counseling patients and their caregivers throughout the end-of-life journey.

What You'll Do:

• Complete initial social work evaluations within 5 days of hospice admission and re-evaluate needs during each visit.
• Assist patients and caregivers with funeral planning, financial, legal, and healthcare decisions.
• Educate and guide patients and families in preparing advanced directives.
• Connect patients and caregivers to community resources and referral services.
• Conduct comprehensive social assessments, including family dynamics, caregiver abilities, communication patterns, and identifying risks such as neglect, abuse, or suicidal ideation; develop interventions based on findings.
• Assess the psychosocial status of patients and caregivers in relation to the patient's terminal illness.
• Provide counseling for stress, coping challenges, and other identified needs.
• Identify and educate staff on patient- and caregiver-specific cultural considerations, including communication preferences, family roles, space, and special traditions.
• Provide bereavement support to patients, caregivers, and hospice team members.

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university
• Current state licensing in social work
• Current and valid driver's license
• Reliable transportation and valid automobile insurance coverage
• Minimum of one year experience in healthcare
• Medical Social Work skills are as defined by accepted MSW standards
• Understands the hospice philosophy, and issues of death/dying
• Experience and or education in grief or loss counseling
• Demonstrates ability to assess and respond to the needs of patient's families and caregivers in varied settings and to function effectively in the home or nursing facility environment
• Demonstrates skill in Social Work practice, ability to cope with ill, disabled, terminal patients, family emotional stress, and tolerance of individual lifestyles
• Ability to handle multiple priorities, documentation requirements, and deadlines

Desired Qualifications

• Hospice experience is preferred
• Familiarity with Home Care Home Base (HCHB)

Location

• Office: 770 Kenmoor Ave, Suite 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
• Service Area: Grand Rapids and surrounding communities

Schedule

• Regular Hours: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, Monday through Friday
• Weekend Rotation: Required on rotating basis