Eye of the Hurricane

For the first time in over 5 years, I have no clients.  I have officially discharged everyone that was on my old case list for my old job, and am waiting to be assigned the clients for my new job.  It feels kind of...weird?  I have work to keep me busy, but in the meantime there are few appointments to attend, no follow ups to arrange, and no messages on my voicemail (that part I really like).  I'm trying to take advantage of this time to get myself ready for whatever comes next.

Cuppa Care

In my personal life, I have a pretty simple solution for just about every problem in life.  TEA!  When faced with just about any ailment or annoyance, a quick cuppa can help me feel better.  If only I could apply this to social work.

Depressed?  How about a colourful flowering tea to brighten your day?
Feeling anxious? A warm cup of ginger with honey to sooth and take the edge off.
Feeling lonely?  Why not spend some time with your friend Lady Grey?
Can't get to sleep?  Drift off with some chamomile.
Lacking energy and motivation? Some zesty lemon green tea should get you going.
Trouble getting along with the people in your life?  Bond over a boiling pot of chai.
Feeling broke and cold?  Hold that mug in both hands and feel it's warmth.

I mean, the list could go on all day.  If only our work were so simple and delicious.  I'm going to go brew some now!

Up In Smoke

It's got to be one of my least favourite thing about my job - my hair and clothes smelling like smoke after doing home visits*.  Many clients are courteous, and don't smoke while I visit.  Some just find it too difficult to  it though the appointment without smoking.  In summer we often accommodate this by meeting outside.  But it's currently winter here in Canada, and temperatures are too cold for that.

Some job postings in this field state that the candidate should be aware they will be in smoking-environments.  Mine didn't but I've long recognized it as an unavoidable workplace hazard.  Sure, if I really wanted I could try to insist that clients meet me elsewhere, but the home visit plays an important role in my work, puts focus on me rather than the client, and possibly makes them feel guilty.  That's not what I'm trying to do folks.  Besides, it's their room/apartment/house.

Not so fun fact: rates of smoking for people with schizophrenia are estimated at about 88% - three times that of the general population.  And smoking cessation is just not high on the list of goals or priorities for most of my clients, who are busy trying to manage their symptoms, maintain their housing and survive on a few hundred bucks a month.

So until this changes, you'll see my huddled in my big coat and hat, driving with my windows down in winter trying to air myself out.

*not every home visit.  About half my current clients are smokers

Maybe her social worker

suggested she write a letter to "show her feelings"  

Original photo at Jeff Simmermon's photostream

I first saw this on And I Am Not Lying

New Year, New Job

...except it's my old job.  Yep, I'm going back to intake!

I'm looking  forward to seeing new faces on a regular basis.  Also, my case load will be shifting to short term supports instead of long term, so I will be leaving all of my current clients.  I'm not looking forward to that part so much.  Telling client's you are leaving them is never easy, and some of these folks I have worked with for 4+ years.

Wish me luck.

The Twelve Days of Christmas - Social Work Edition

Like absolutely everyone else, those of us in social work often find the days leading up to Christmas to be particularly hectic.  It can be a hard time of year for many of our clients, so they may need additional support.  There are many charitable goings-on that we may be involved in, and most of us hope to get a couple days off with our own families.

Here's a little ditty to give you an idea of what the holiday rush looks like for us.  Feel free to sing along!  (I'm not typing out the verses over and over, you all know how it goes!)

Twelve grocery gift cards

Eleven overdue assessments  

Ten client Christmas parties  

Nine home visits 

Eight food hamper deliveries  

Seven flu shot clinics    

Six church hall turkey dinners  

Five volunteers!!!!!    (we love our volunteers)

Four donated toy drives     

Three office potlucks  

Two emergency room visits    

And one last minute crisis call!

  

Mental Illness and Violence

Do we need more funding for mental health services in this world?  YES.

Does access to early identification and early intervention programs need to be improved?  YES.

Does having a mental illness mean a person will become violent?  NO.

Does a violent act necessarily indicate that the perpetrator had a mental illness?  NO.  

Does speculating in the media about a person's mental health help anything?  NO.  

All it does is create fear and increase the stigma around people with mental health issues.  This is the opposite of what needs to happen to get people help and care, and does nothing to protect victims of potential future incidents.

In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, it will be important to try to unlock the motives of the perpetrator, and discuss how this tragedy may have been prevented.  This will be an important part of the healing process for that community.  But since the gunman is gone, we will never really know the answers.  I hope that all this focus on the availability of mental health services might result in some positive actions.  But as with the lag in changes to gun control despite many mass killings in North America in the past few years, I have sincere doubts that this will happen.

What do you think about the assumptions and discussions about mental health in the news right now?