Upperline Health Celebrates Our Social Workers

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March is National Social Work Month, and the theme for 2025 is Compassion + Action. To celebrate, we would like to introduce you to our team of Upperline Plus social workers, who use compassion to work alongside you to ensure you have access to the services you need to stay healthy.

What is a Social Worker?

Social workers are trained professionals who assist individuals in overcoming personal and social challenges, improving their mental and emotional well-being, and accessing necessary services. According to Dr. Anna Scheyette, Dean of Social Work at the University of Southern California, the mission of a social worker is “to promote and support individual and community well-being and to fight social injustice.”

Social workers can be found in various settings, from hospitals to schools and beyond. At Upperline Plus, social workers are specifically trained to work with Medicare members who have multiple chronic health conditions. Every Upperline Plus patient has access to a social worker who collaborates with the patient’s Upperline Plus nurse practitioners, registered nurses (RNs), care navigators, and other doctors and specialists to advocate for the patient’s needs.

What Services Can an Upperline Plus Social Worker Provide?

Social workers at Upperline Health partner with patients to help identify solutions to everyday challenges, aiming to improve quality of life, mental health, and overall well-being. Their services can cover a wide range of needs, and many people may be surprised by all that social workers can offer.

Mental and Behavioral Health

Up to 85% of patients with chronic medical conditions and chronic pain struggle with depression or anxiety. They may also experience feelings of hopelessness or fatigue from navigating the complex healthcare system, managing medications, and attending numerous doctor visits. Social workers at Upperline Plus help patients navigate both the clinical mental health diagnoses and the stress that comes with managing chronic conditions. They listen to patients, validate their concerns, and provide education on how to advocate for themselves.

According to Upperline Health social worker Alisa Jorstad, “Many patients have spent their lives working and caring for others. When they retire or need care themselves, they may not know how to speak up for what they need.”

Many Upperline Plus patients also deal with significant grief and loss. Social workers provide grief counseling for these patients, addressing the emotional difficulties that arise from losing a spouse, friend, or independence due to illness. Jorstad explains, “Grief can be experienced not only from the loss of a loved one, but also from losing independence or mobility due to illness.”

Mental health also includes the day-to-day stresses that come with aging. Social workers act as an unbiased source of support, helping patients advocate for themselves. Upperline social worker Katrina Brooks adds, “I tell my patients that I am someone they can talk to like a friend. Illness makes life hard, and I am here to validate that and offer help to move forward.”

In some cases, Upperline Plus social workers can connect patients to a psychiatrist if medications are necessary to manage mental and emotional conditions. For instance, Barb, an 89-year-old Upperline Plus patient, was experiencing intrusive thoughts and hallucinations that kept her from leaving her home. Her social worker connected her to a psychiatrist and began weekly counseling sessions to address some past trauma. Barb was able to resume her daily life and enjoy hobbies that she had previously abandoned due to anxiety.

Connection to Community Services

Economic or social barriers, such as lack of transportation or difficulty affording healthy food, often stand in the way of good health. Upperline Health social workers are familiar with local programs and resources that can help patients access the services they need.

A social worker can assist in the following ways:

• Help identify local resources, such as food banks, transportation programs, or rent and utility assistance.
• Determine eligibility and address any barriers to accessing these programs.
• Help apply for these resources.

Social worker Sarah Sinclair emphasizes, “Our goal is to give patients a sense of self-determination. We help them navigate their local support systems.”

For example, one Upperline Plus patient, Rose, was at risk of losing her home. Her social worker helped her find affordable housing by identifying a rent assistance program and guiding her through the application process. The social worker also worked with Rose on a monthly budget and continued to meet with her to ensure she could afford both her rent and food while focusing on her health.

Advanced Care Planning & Goals of Care

Receiving a chronic or terminal diagnosis can be overwhelming. Patients may struggle not only with healthcare needs but also with tasks like creating a living will or designating a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order.

Social workers help patients identify their care goals, such as receiving treatment at home or entering a nursing home. They also assist in creating advance directives, which include decisions about whether to undergo intubation, implement a DNR, or continue treatment beyond a certain point. Additionally, social workers facilitate difficult conversations with family members and caregivers to ensure the patient’s wishes are communicated and respected.

For patients needing a standard will or estate planning, social workers can refer them to an attorney for further assistance.

Caregiver Support

Many Upperline Plus patients not only manage their own healthcare needs but also care for aging parents, spouses with dementia, or children with disabilities. Social workers provide support by helping patients find local support groups and respite care, which may include in-home visits or adult day programs, where available.

In addition, social workers help caregivers advocate for their own healthcare needs, ensuring they are not overlooked in the caregiving process. For example, Lynn, an Upperline Plus patient, was the primary caregiver for her husband while also managing her own diabetes, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease. When Lynn needed a knee replacement, she had postponed the surgery for several years to care for her husband. Her social worker developed a care plan for both Lynn and her husband, including respite care for her husband and home health services for Lynn following surgery.

Social workers also assist in navigating the transition of a family member or loved one into hospice care, offering both emotional support and guidance for end-of-life planning.

In Conclusion

Navigating chronic illness, aging, and caring for family can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Through Upperline Plus, you can connect with a social worker who will help you advocate for yourself, whether through mental health counseling, finding community services, or advanced care planning with your loved ones. A social worker’s goal is to help you find a path forward, to find the next right step in your healthcare journey so you can enjoy their life.

To learn more about Upperline Plus and how we help Medicare patients, call 855-669-7843.