Hospice offers support to the families of those who are living with cancer, HIV/AIDS, Motor Neurone Disease and any end-stage illness.

Physical illness often has emotional and social components and finances can also be a major concern. 

Individual and family counselling is available as well as counselling of children affected by the illness situation in the home.  Many parents would like to receive support and advice about what to tell children at any stage of an illness and later after death.

Networking

The social worker networks with staff in other specialized agencies when particular help is needed for children or adults – this will include child and adult abuse, rape, alcohol and drug problems etc.

Counselling

Conversations are held with individuals and with family groups.  These cover psychological/emotional issues, spiritual issues and social issues. The social workers supply a counselling service to patients, their families and to bereaved families.

Care planning

The social workers help patients and families consider the possible options for care at home or elsewhere when the patient can no longer look after him or herself.

Spiritual support

Where the patient/family member does not have their own Imam, Church Minister, Rabbi, or other Spiritual teacher, the Hospice Chaplain or the hospice pastoral therapist will offer their services. Both dying and grieving are spiritual processes when people often seek meaning and question their faith.

 Community social work

The social worker's job is to know the communities in which Hospice works – the geography, culture, belief systems and resources.

There are huge social problems in the area.  Large numbers of people are unemployed and poverty is rife.  Some areas have not had time to develop their own identity: one area has experienced a constant influx of people from farms, from Khayelitsha, and from the Eastern Cape.  The incidence of rape, assault and robbery is high.

State Grants and Pensions

Social Workers help patients obtain Birth Certificates and Identity  Documents so that  State Grants or Pensions can be applied for where applicable.

Children who are vulnerable

Hospice social workers help ill parents (often single parents, usually mothers) to plan the care of their minor children for the future.  This is particularly important for those parents who are not accepted for the antiretroviral programme or who default with the taking of the medication.  The parent is encouraged to decide who she/he wishes to care for the children in the event of death of the parent.  The parent then needs to discuss and obtain agreement from those concerned.

• Child Support Grants are minimal but help the family income.
• Child Dependency Grants are for the benefit of physically or mentally disabled children.
• Foster Care Grants are a possibility for those caring for the children of others.  The hospice social worker liaises with a social worker from a child and family welfare agency or state agency.  The statutory social worker will investigate the circumstances and report to the Children's Court.  The granting of a Foster Grant will follow after the court gives authority to the foster parents.

Patient Support Groups

The social auxiliary worker co-plans and leads two support groups for those living with HIV in two communities of the Helderberg, Lwandle and Macassar.  The programme of activities includes discussion and information about local resources, beadwork, mosaic work and memory work.

The social worker will help the mother gather together items she would like her children to have if she is no longer alive. These include the childrens' birth certificates, any family photographs, especially ones of the mother with her children, letters and drawings.  All are kept in a box and can be added to from time to time.  The children are included in this process.