Social Work at ISIC

People with spinal cord injuries need a very specific social counseling, as it would depend on the socio- economic and cultural background in each case. Responsibilities of a Medical Social Worker (MSW) would include the social assessment at the time of admission. It would help the MSW to decide the kind of help the person would require to be reintegrated into the mainstream after discharge from the hospital. MSW also decides on the role of individual's family in assisting him or her in social adjustment in the new role. These aims are being achieved through

• Counseling - Social and Vocational

• Arranging the required aids and appliances namely wheelchair, walking aid (crutches, calipers) so as to bring about maximum possible physical independence.

• Developing social and communication skills so as to make him confident to face the so called `able bodied' world.

• Arrange social gatherings so as to smoothly integrate them into the society during hospitalization through organizing movie shows, musical evenings, sports and recreational activities.

• Realizing a communication gap between the doctors, administration and the patients, the MSW acts as a liaison with all different sections of the hospital.

Apart from social counseling, MSW needs to arrange economic assistance, blood, aids and equipments, medicine and legal help for getting compensation.

To attain the aforesaid goals, MSW, needs to act as a liaison officer with different government, non﷓government organizations, institutions and individuals. It. has to be seen that the MSW disseminates all the information on the options available regarding

• Availability of loans
• Concessions 
• Reservation in government jobs/ employment opportunities
• Insurance 
• Disability Rights

Follow-ups of the patients is needed to ascertain the quality of successful rehabilitation and re-integration to fill in the gaps wherever needed. 

In spite of all the above mentioned responsibilities, the MSW does not fail to be empathetic, a good listener, a resource person, approachable and ready to lend a helping hand any time and all the time.