Every physician at CCI has a social worker assigned to them to assist them with non-medical needs. Our staff includes licensed and certified social workers who provide short-term counseling. They address issues such as emotional support, financial resource planning, transportation, and prescription assistance. In addition, they provide guidance with advance directives, medical power of attorney, living wills, and community resources. Our social work services are complementary for our patients. You may request a social worker by asking the physician, nurse, scheduler, or front desk.

When someone has cancer, it seems like everyone is focused on their physical health, and rightly so: treatments, side effects, doctor visits, and tests. But we know that cancer affects other parts of life, like how you feel about yourself, your work, your family, your friends, your finances, and how you live. Social services for cancer patients can help.

Oncology social workers know how to deal with these complicated problems that cancer brings up. But, more importantly, at CCI, we know that finding ways to deal with these worries gives the person with cancer and their loved ones a considerable sense of relief.

What are Oncology Social Workers?

Oncology social workers are licensed professionals who talk to cancer patients, help them deal with their feelings, and find practical help.

Oncology social workers can give people:

• one-on-one counseling
• help find resources
• set up support groups
• find services that help with home care or transportation
• show people how to apply for Social Security disability or other forms of financial help.

Oncology social workers at CCI are here to help in person, online, or over the phone.

Coping with the Management of Cancer Treatments and Costs

It can be hard to keep track of the costs and treatments for cancer. There are meetings to go to, bills to pay, and papers to take care of. An oncology social worker can help you find resources and financial assistance based on your diagnosis.

Understanding Your Diagnosis and Treatment

When you have cancer, social services can help you understand your diagnosis and how to treat it. Your healthcare team can involve many members, and an oncology social worker can help you communicate with your team better.

Financial and Co-Pay Assistance

Even if you have health insurance, that doesn’t make it easy to pay for treatment. Even with coverage, out-of-pocket costs like co-pays for prescriptions can add up quickly. Social services for cancer patients can help people find the resources they need based on their needs. CCI helps our patients find means to pay for co-pays and transportation, care at home, and child care.

Emotional Support for Cancer Patients

When someone is told they have cancer, their emotional, physical, practical, and financial lives are turned upside down. No matter how old we are, changes in our bodies will make us question how we see ourselves and how we think other people see us. A social worker who works in our Social Services for Cancer Patients here at CCI can help you deal with this “new normal” and get the care and education you need.

Counseling

It’s normal to feel stressed or worried when dealing with cancer. Your body may also react differently to some foods or make you feel tired more often. Counseling gives you a safe place to talk about your worries so you can deal with these changes better. CCI offers one-on-one counseling in our many locations throughout Alabama.

Access to Resources

When you’ve been told you have cancer, finding the help you need can be challenging. With CCI’s resource navigation, an oncology social worker will help you determine your needs and find the best resources to meet those needs. There are ways to find resources all over the country.

Support Groups

Having a cancer diagnosis can make you feel alone. Building a support network can help you feel less alone. A support group is a great way to meet other people affected by cancer.

CCI has support groups that meet online, over the phone, and in person. Each year, we offer access to many support groups for people with certain types of cancer, their caregivers, and those who have lost someone to cancer.

Community Resources

CCI has virtual, interactive programs for people with cancer and their families and friends all over the country. In the many places in Alabama where we have offices, we also offer community programs that can be done in person. Visit our website or give us a call to find out more.

Preparing for the Future

Social work counselors can help patients with legal documents like medical power of attorney, living wills, and advance directives. Here at CCI, we’ll ensure those papers are in order and share them with your healthcare team.

Whether you’re talking about survivorship or care for the end of life, your wishes are important, and your social workers will help ensure your needs are met.

Support for Cancer Caregivers

We know that a patient is more than just that. Among other things, they are often also a mother or father, a spouse, or a brother or sister, and each of these connections is a chance to help the caregivers closest to the patient.

Like they do with patients, social work counselors can meet with caregivers to help them with counseling. Caregivers also have their own support groups and resources made just for them.

Decision-Making Assistance

During the time a person has cancer, they are given many options and have to make many decisions. At CCI, our social workers can help by explaining the choices and showing how each will affect the situation. Every patient is different, so every impact is different, and this is vital to one’s cancer treatment journey.

Social Services for Cancer Patients in Alabama

Every day, our team works with many different patients. We help them figure out how to get the care they need and see their problems for themselves.

As social workers, we are taught to meet every patient and family member right where they are and put aside what we think we may know. However, we can all make the world a better place if we all try to meet people where they are and forget what we think we know.

Contact us today at (888)374-1015 for more information. Check out our locations and find the one that best fits your schedule and needs. We are here for you.