Hospice and APS
The following is a case study that depicts a situation in which APS and Hospice intersect.
Case Study
In this case study there are multiple intersections with agencies, policies and the family. The Hospice social worker, was tasked with navigating the family dynamics, building trust with the patient while also trying to protect her in the home and provide the care she needed. At the core the hospice social worker was trying to respect the patients right to self-determination to live her life the way that she wanted at home with her family. However, when safety became an issue not only for the patient but also for the Hospice employees, they were required to make a referral to Adult Protective Services.
The APS worker first investigated the situation and then petitioned the court for emergency guardianship. This allowed the APS worker to apply for nursing home Medicaid and to locate a nursing home that would accept the patient, given the situation. The APS worker reached out to social workers at local nursing homes and explained the situation to build a case for acceptance. Nursing homes are private entities and can accept or deny patients for a variety of reasons with the right documentation (this may vary state to state to some degree). It is helpful for social workers to build a trusting and professional relationship across various agency settings to better serve clients.
While the dynamics in the family were less than favorable, each social worker that the patient encountered worked to make sure that the patient had an end of life experience that was focused on her wishes to the extent possible to also keep her safe.