Social work careers can allow professionals to support caregivers

Florida resident Margot Escott, a licensed clinical social worker, is using her knowledge of the industry to provide free counseling services to unpaid caregivers, including people who need to care for a sick or aging parent or spouse, Naples News reports.

Escott told the news source that she knows how hard this service can be on an individual. She and her husband took care of her father for five years as he battled Parkinson's disease and dementia.

After seeing first-hand how difficult it can be to care for another individual, Escott said she took over the Mental Health Association of Southwest Florida in 2006. This program uses volunteer counselors to give advice and support to unpaid caregivers and provide them with additional resources if they need further services.

People who simply were not prepared to become a caregiver can ask one of the counselors basic questions, such as what services a hospice provides or how to prepare an elder's home for hurricane season. Escott told the news outlet that counseling sessions are also a good time to vent.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, private practitioners like Escott are typically required to have an MSW degree as well as supervised work experience.

POSTED BY: ec_admin - April 29th, 2011 at 09:01pm ( 0 )