Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care [Paperback]

This succinct yet comprehensive book written by Margaret Reith and Malcolm Payne combines the authors' more than 70 years of social work experience to provide a definitive introduction to social work practice in end-of-life and palliative care.Reith and Payne trace the development of palliative care and the important role of social work within it. The book's unique sociological focus on required practitioner knowledge of death, dying, and bereavement helps balance out the prevalent psychological focus of other books in the field. Chapters in the book focus on practice skills and interventions. Extensive use of case materials throughout the text help students and practitioners juggle the precarious balance of helping their clients keep hope for the future while understanding the truth that people are moving towards death. Unlike many books that focus on medical issues, this book addresses ethical issues faced by social workers and helps them guide their clients through this difficult journey.List of Figures and TablesTable of Case ExamplesAbout the AuthorsIntroduction1. Social work, End-of-Life, and Palliative Care2. Death and Dying: Awareness and Uncertainty3. Truth and Hope: Communication at the End of Life4. Engaging and Assessing in End-of-Life Care5. Intervention in End-of-Life Social Work6. Grief and Bereavement: Ideas and Interventions7. Multiprofessional End-of-Life Care8. Ethical and Value Issues for End-of-Life Social Work9. Group and Macro InterventionsBibliographyList of Relevant WebsitesIndexMargaret Reith is senior social worker at the Princess Alice Hospice, Surrey, UK, formerly the social work manager there. She is the author of research and professional papers in palliative care and forensic mental health, and of Community Care Tragedies: A Practice Guide to Mental Health Inquiries. She has presented papers in the UK, the USA, several European countries, and Japan.Malcolm Payne is the director of psycho-social and spiritual care at St. Christopher's l.