Thank you for referring your client to us. We would have called you back sooner, but we have only just received the referral form. We likely would have responded more quickly if you had faxed or emailed it as indicated on the top of the form. Instead, you left it sitting out on a desk in our rural office, you know, the one that is only staffed part time, and is shared with another community group? I’m sure your client’s information is safe though since you had the forethought to fold the paper in half. And I guess you couldn’t have known that our staff who works in that office was on vacation for two weeks, so again, our apologies.
Now, I realize that you must be a very busy woman (aren’t we all!) but if it’s not too much trouble, maybe you could take the extra couple of seconds to write in your complete phone number? A bit of information about the client would be helpful too – maybe more than “needs support – monthly visits”.
Oh, and by the way – Primary diagnosis: schizophrenia/bipolar. Well, which is it? I guess the client may have both (poor thing) but then I’m guessing one of those is the secondary diagnosis, and it’s just a little hard to tell which considering how you’ve squished it all into the one little box there.
Well, I hear from your outgoing message that you are out of the office for the next three days (how nice for you!) so I guess I’ll call you back next week.
Ta-ta for now!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Pills
I've just decided.
My mainhope goal in life: to never have a med list as long as those of some of my clients.
Yikes.
My main
Yikes.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Get that "deep cleaning tingle!"
This was something I had never seen before.
I showed up the other day to see a client for a home visit and to drop off his medications which I pick up for him once a month. He’s an older guy with schizophrenia, who is also extremely obese. For the past year we’ve been working a lot on housekeeping and personal hygiene, both of which he has trouble looking after and issues which could put his housing at risk (there have been complaints to the building manager several times because of severe malodour).
We’ve had some great success of late. He has budgeted and scheduled for a cleaner to come once every two weeks and clean his apartment. He also got some help to install an air conditioning unit, which has really improved a space that I once had to leave in order to not pass out from the heat and smells.
So, back to the original point of this story – I show up the other day and he’s got blood all over his legs, from the knees down. I asked him what happened, and he says casually that his legs were itchy.
What?!?
I needed some more explanation.
Apparently, he had soaked his feet for upwards of two hours in a chemical household cleaning solution in an effort to get them clean. He said that he stopped, and realized this was maybe not the best idea when his feet and legs started ITCHING and BURNING. “The cleaning lady wears gloves when she uses that stuff” he knowingly informed me.
O. M. G.
He seemed very non plussed by the whole thing, but then, that’s how he is with most every thing. I pleaded with him to wash his legs with some cool, clean water once I left, and asked him to please call his doctor or get some medical attention if the itching or burning came back.
Maybe I should have offered to get him a proper pedicure kit for next time. Although it might be a little sore to use a pumice stone for while yet...
I showed up the other day to see a client for a home visit and to drop off his medications which I pick up for him once a month. He’s an older guy with schizophrenia, who is also extremely obese. For the past year we’ve been working a lot on housekeeping and personal hygiene, both of which he has trouble looking after and issues which could put his housing at risk (there have been complaints to the building manager several times because of severe malodour).
We’ve had some great success of late. He has budgeted and scheduled for a cleaner to come once every two weeks and clean his apartment. He also got some help to install an air conditioning unit, which has really improved a space that I once had to leave in order to not pass out from the heat and smells.
So, back to the original point of this story – I show up the other day and he’s got blood all over his legs, from the knees down. I asked him what happened, and he says casually that his legs were itchy.
What?!?
I needed some more explanation.
Apparently, he had soaked his feet for upwards of two hours in a chemical household cleaning solution in an effort to get them clean. He said that he stopped, and realized this was maybe not the best idea when his feet and legs started ITCHING and BURNING. “The cleaning lady wears gloves when she uses that stuff” he knowingly informed me.
O. M. G.
He seemed very non plussed by the whole thing, but then, that’s how he is with most every thing. I pleaded with him to wash his legs with some cool, clean water once I left, and asked him to please call his doctor or get some medical attention if the itching or burning came back.
Maybe I should have offered to get him a proper pedicure kit for next time. Although it might be a little sore to use a pumice stone for while yet...
Monday, July 5, 2010
Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer
Okay, okay, so I know I’ve been a little neglectful of my little blog here lately (I can hear all 4 people who read it collectively nodding their heads) but I have good reason!
1) It’s summer, so I’m outside doing stuff
2) It’s summer, so it’s hot and I have less energy
3) And this is the real kicker – my home laptop crashed and has yet to be suitably replaced.
I haven’t even had time to keep up with reading all the blogs I follow, which is saying a lot because it is usually a highlight of my day.
I promised some way back that I would follow up with a book review of Voluntary Madness, and I will get to it. I also want to get back to talking more about the work at hand, as I’ve been recently distracted by certain international photo-ops and spectacles – although I can’t promise it won’t happen again.
For now, I’m wimping out and posting this list that made the rounds of Facebook recently and was emailed to me by a co-worker. Even if you’ve read it before, it may be good for laugh, and isn’t laughter really the best medicine?
Onward! -->
You know you’re a social worker when…
1) You think $40,000 a year is “really making it”.
2) You don’t really know what it’s like to work with men.
3) You know all the latest lingo for drugs, where to get them, and how much they cost.
4) You’ve started a sentence with “So what I hear you saying is…”
5) You’ve had two or more jobs at one time just to pay the bills.
6) You tell people what you do and they say “that’s so noble”.
7) You have had to explain to people that not all social workers take away kids.
8) You use the words ‘validate’, ‘appropriate’ and ‘intervention’ daily.
9) You spend more than half your day documenting and doing paperwork.
10) You think nothing of discussing child abuse over dinner.
11) People have said to you “I don’t know how you do what you do”.
12) You’ve never been on a business trip or had an expense account.
13) You know a lot of other social workers who have left the profession for another.
14) You’re very familiar with the concept of entitlement.
15) Staying at a job for two years is ‘a long time’.
16) Your phone number is unlisted for good reason.
17) Your professional newsletters always have articles about raising salaries…but you still haven’t seen it.
18) You’re very familiar with the term ‘budget cut’.
19) You can’t imagine working at a bank or crunching numbers all day.
20) You’ve had client who liked you just a little too much.
21) Having lunch is a luxury some days.
22) You’ve been cursed at or threatened…and it doesn’t bother you.
23) Your job orientation has included self defense.
24) You have the best stories at any cocktail party.
25) Your parents don’t know half of the stuff that you’ve dealt with at your job.
26) You know all the excuses client use for a failed drug test by heart.
27) People think it’s a compliment if they mistake you for a psychologist.
28) It’s a common occurrence to walk through metal detectors.
29) You’re thankful that you have a license without having to go to school for umpteen years like a psychologist*
30) You work odd hours and wonder why others can’t also be as flexible, or why we have to be the only ones who work strange hours.
31) Despite the poor reputation of a social worker you job has you interacting with those in higher authority positions (lawyers, doctors, judges, government representatives, superintendants, directors, etc)…and they come looking for you in a panic when they need you…
32) You can make just about anything a client does into a ‘strength’.
33) You laugh at things “normal” people would be shocked by.
34) You constantly struggle with the work/life balance.
35) You find it hard to get babysitters as you don’t trust anyone with your children.
36) You’re exhausted but you keep smiling!!
37) Hearing the worst news stories does not shock you in the least bit.
38) You think nothing of saying the words vagina, penis, or anus in a daily conversation.
39) You assess your date (in your head) while out on a date just to see if they meet criteria for any DSM IV diagnosis.
40) Your mother tells people you’re a psychiatrist or a psychologist. For the umpteenth time, I’m a social worker.
41) Your significant other has learned that when someone greets you in public not to ask “who was that?”
42) You know the suicide crisis phone number, the food shelf and the community shelter phone numbers off the top of your head.
43) Your family/friends/acquaintances/co-workers will approach you with a “hypothetical problem” to help them with and you can’t charge them for your advice.
44) When people ask for your help, they expect you to have all the answers and solution to problems that do not even exist, immediately. We’re social workers, not magicians.
45) You know where to find ‘free’ anything (clothes, food, equipment, transportation) but you are not eligible for any of them yourself.
46) You are considered an “expert” in financial assistance for your low-income clients but you can’t keep your own cheque book balanced.
47) You have a file or a list posted in your office on “Stress Reducing Techniques.”
48) After a long week of solving other people’s problems, you recognize that you haven’t dealt with your own at home.
49) You don’t know what “sick days” are and you call your vacation times “long mental health breaks” or “burnout prevention days”.
50) The clinical staff find the patient/family situation appalling and in urgent need of intervention and in your “social work” opinion, you don’t really think it’s all that bad. You’re pretty sure you’ve seen worse.
51) You love/loathe the idea of role-plays and know that they are not necessarily something kinky.
52) You’ve found yourself in a group situation with other social workers discussing a super deep topic, and someone says that they’re happy they were able to have the conversation with other people who “get it” and everyone immediately agrees.
53) You really do have the best gossip around, but have to make sure to remove any possibly identifying information first.
54) You really know how to enjoy a good bottle of wine!
*I'm assuming this was originated in the USA, as social workers are not 'licenced' where I live.
1) It’s summer, so I’m outside doing stuff
2) It’s summer, so it’s hot and I have less energy
3) And this is the real kicker – my home laptop crashed and has yet to be suitably replaced.
I haven’t even had time to keep up with reading all the blogs I follow, which is saying a lot because it is usually a highlight of my day.
I promised some way back that I would follow up with a book review of Voluntary Madness, and I will get to it. I also want to get back to talking more about the work at hand, as I’ve been recently distracted by certain international photo-ops and spectacles – although I can’t promise it won’t happen again.
For now, I’m wimping out and posting this list that made the rounds of Facebook recently and was emailed to me by a co-worker. Even if you’ve read it before, it may be good for laugh, and isn’t laughter really the best medicine?
Onward! -->
You know you’re a social worker when…
1) You think $40,000 a year is “really making it”.
2) You don’t really know what it’s like to work with men.
3) You know all the latest lingo for drugs, where to get them, and how much they cost.
4) You’ve started a sentence with “So what I hear you saying is…”
5) You’ve had two or more jobs at one time just to pay the bills.
6) You tell people what you do and they say “that’s so noble”.
7) You have had to explain to people that not all social workers take away kids.
8) You use the words ‘validate’, ‘appropriate’ and ‘intervention’ daily.
9) You spend more than half your day documenting and doing paperwork.
10) You think nothing of discussing child abuse over dinner.
11) People have said to you “I don’t know how you do what you do”.
12) You’ve never been on a business trip or had an expense account.
13) You know a lot of other social workers who have left the profession for another.
14) You’re very familiar with the concept of entitlement.
15) Staying at a job for two years is ‘a long time’.
16) Your phone number is unlisted for good reason.
17) Your professional newsletters always have articles about raising salaries…but you still haven’t seen it.
18) You’re very familiar with the term ‘budget cut’.
19) You can’t imagine working at a bank or crunching numbers all day.
20) You’ve had client who liked you just a little too much.
21) Having lunch is a luxury some days.
22) You’ve been cursed at or threatened…and it doesn’t bother you.
23) Your job orientation has included self defense.
24) You have the best stories at any cocktail party.
25) Your parents don’t know half of the stuff that you’ve dealt with at your job.
26) You know all the excuses client use for a failed drug test by heart.
27) People think it’s a compliment if they mistake you for a psychologist.
28) It’s a common occurrence to walk through metal detectors.
29) You’re thankful that you have a license without having to go to school for umpteen years like a psychologist*
30) You work odd hours and wonder why others can’t also be as flexible, or why we have to be the only ones who work strange hours.
31) Despite the poor reputation of a social worker you job has you interacting with those in higher authority positions (lawyers, doctors, judges, government representatives, superintendants, directors, etc)…and they come looking for you in a panic when they need you…
32) You can make just about anything a client does into a ‘strength’.
33) You laugh at things “normal” people would be shocked by.
34) You constantly struggle with the work/life balance.
35) You find it hard to get babysitters as you don’t trust anyone with your children.
36) You’re exhausted but you keep smiling!!
37) Hearing the worst news stories does not shock you in the least bit.
38) You think nothing of saying the words vagina, penis, or anus in a daily conversation.
39) You assess your date (in your head) while out on a date just to see if they meet criteria for any DSM IV diagnosis.
40) Your mother tells people you’re a psychiatrist or a psychologist. For the umpteenth time, I’m a social worker.
41) Your significant other has learned that when someone greets you in public not to ask “who was that?”
42) You know the suicide crisis phone number, the food shelf and the community shelter phone numbers off the top of your head.
43) Your family/friends/acquaintances/co-workers will approach you with a “hypothetical problem” to help them with and you can’t charge them for your advice.
44) When people ask for your help, they expect you to have all the answers and solution to problems that do not even exist, immediately. We’re social workers, not magicians.
45) You know where to find ‘free’ anything (clothes, food, equipment, transportation) but you are not eligible for any of them yourself.
46) You are considered an “expert” in financial assistance for your low-income clients but you can’t keep your own cheque book balanced.
47) You have a file or a list posted in your office on “Stress Reducing Techniques.”
48) After a long week of solving other people’s problems, you recognize that you haven’t dealt with your own at home.
49) You don’t know what “sick days” are and you call your vacation times “long mental health breaks” or “burnout prevention days”.
50) The clinical staff find the patient/family situation appalling and in urgent need of intervention and in your “social work” opinion, you don’t really think it’s all that bad. You’re pretty sure you’ve seen worse.
51) You love/loathe the idea of role-plays and know that they are not necessarily something kinky.
52) You’ve found yourself in a group situation with other social workers discussing a super deep topic, and someone says that they’re happy they were able to have the conversation with other people who “get it” and everyone immediately agrees.
53) You really do have the best gossip around, but have to make sure to remove any possibly identifying information first.
54) You really know how to enjoy a good bottle of wine!
*I'm assuming this was originated in the USA, as social workers are not 'licenced' where I live.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Oh, you witty social workers
I’ll preface this by saying that I don’t usually wear shorts, but I did today.
Me, gabbing with my manager today: Wow, I never realized I had so many bruises all over my legs
Sarcastic supervisor: Nectarine, is this your way of telling me you have something you need to talk about?
*eyeroll*
Me, gabbing with my manager today: Wow, I never realized I had so many bruises all over my legs
Sarcastic supervisor: Nectarine, is this your way of telling me you have something you need to talk about?
*eyeroll*
Thursday, June 24, 2010
G-20
So, needless to say, even though I’ve been looking for a job closer to downtown for the past two years, I’m glad to be nowhere near the inner city this week.
I haven’t seen the fence, but I hear it’s big.
As I was discussing with some friends the other day, I don’t really know how to feel about the whole thing.
Back in 2002 when the G7 met in Kananaskis, Alberta, and 2001 when the Summit of the Americas was held in Quebec City, I was involved in a lot of activism and many people I knew attended protests at those events (or as near as the “designated protest zone” was allowed). We were anti-globalization and opposed fair-trade. The issues seemed clear, and we wanted specific alternatives to what the summit members were proposing.
Now, I don’t really know what summit leaders will be talking about. The more I read the news, the more confused I get. If, as Harper says “the discussion should be less about new agreements than accountability for existing ones” couldn’t this have been done on the phone?
Initially, I was frustrated that the news media seemed to be focusing on logistics and risk of violence when talking about protestors and seemingly not paying any attention to the reason the protestors are actually there. But I wonder now if it’s because there is no one good reason the protestors are there.
I’m sure many are well intentioned. I’m sure their issues are important. But when everyone is there yelling hundreds of different and unrelated slogans, I fear the message will get lost.
Am I disillusioned and out of touch? I do still think that public protest and peaceful civil disobedience has its place and can be an effective tool for change. I just don’t see it happening this time.
Given all this, there are only two things I am sure of: 1) $1.2 billion is waaaay too much and so not worth it and 2) this weekend, I will be anywhere but downtown.
I haven’t seen the fence, but I hear it’s big.
As I was discussing with some friends the other day, I don’t really know how to feel about the whole thing.
Back in 2002 when the G7 met in Kananaskis, Alberta, and 2001 when the Summit of the Americas was held in Quebec City, I was involved in a lot of activism and many people I knew attended protests at those events (or as near as the “designated protest zone” was allowed). We were anti-globalization and opposed fair-trade. The issues seemed clear, and we wanted specific alternatives to what the summit members were proposing.
Now, I don’t really know what summit leaders will be talking about. The more I read the news, the more confused I get. If, as Harper says “the discussion should be less about new agreements than accountability for existing ones” couldn’t this have been done on the phone?
Initially, I was frustrated that the news media seemed to be focusing on logistics and risk of violence when talking about protestors and seemingly not paying any attention to the reason the protestors are actually there. But I wonder now if it’s because there is no one good reason the protestors are there.
I’m sure many are well intentioned. I’m sure their issues are important. But when everyone is there yelling hundreds of different and unrelated slogans, I fear the message will get lost.
Am I disillusioned and out of touch? I do still think that public protest and peaceful civil disobedience has its place and can be an effective tool for change. I just don’t see it happening this time.
Given all this, there are only two things I am sure of: 1) $1.2 billion is waaaay too much and so not worth it and 2) this weekend, I will be anywhere but downtown.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Please, just go pt. 2
The housing transfer saga continues.
I met with the client. She had yet to make up her mind. She was highly anxious, and unfocussed and I could barely get a word in. I haven’t seen her like this in several months, although it used to be constant.
She wanted to know what I thought she should do. I wanted to tell her, but I didn’t. I reinforced that it was her decision, and tried to outline some pro’s and con’s.
Eventually, I ended the meeting since we were talking in circles. I suggested she call her worker at the housing agency and discuss it with her to figure out a final decision. We only have so much time.
Today, another message from her in the wee hours of the morning. She still hasn’t decided. I have a lot of thoughts and theories and hunches about this and about what I think she should do. But I’m getting too personally involved. This is counter-transference baby. I haven’t been able to connect with my supervisor for the past two days and I know I need to debrief with her, so I haven’t called the client back yet. I feel guilty about that.
This is rare for me. I’m usually pretty consistent about my boundaries, and I generally find it pretty easy to keep a healthy sense of detachment between me and my clients. But it’s bound to happen sometime, right?
Aarrgh! I really thought she was going to go for it.
I met with the client. She had yet to make up her mind. She was highly anxious, and unfocussed and I could barely get a word in. I haven’t seen her like this in several months, although it used to be constant.
She wanted to know what I thought she should do. I wanted to tell her, but I didn’t. I reinforced that it was her decision, and tried to outline some pro’s and con’s.
Eventually, I ended the meeting since we were talking in circles. I suggested she call her worker at the housing agency and discuss it with her to figure out a final decision. We only have so much time.
Today, another message from her in the wee hours of the morning. She still hasn’t decided. I have a lot of thoughts and theories and hunches about this and about what I think she should do. But I’m getting too personally involved. This is counter-transference baby. I haven’t been able to connect with my supervisor for the past two days and I know I need to debrief with her, so I haven’t called the client back yet. I feel guilty about that.
This is rare for me. I’m usually pretty consistent about my boundaries, and I generally find it pretty easy to keep a healthy sense of detachment between me and my clients. But it’s bound to happen sometime, right?
Aarrgh! I really thought she was going to go for it.
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