Social care of CKD
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In this article we will describe the social care of CKD.
Introduction
The management of more serious grades of CKD – i.e. CKD4 and CKD5 (on dialysis or with a transplant) – is not just medical.
This article is about the other – ‘holistic’, which means whole person – aspects of care, i.e. the social care of the patient. This includes addressing all the needs of the patient, including social, financial and emotional.
We will assume that you are now being followed up at your hospitals renal (kidney) unit, and are being looked after by a consultant there. You should be seeing him/her, or their deputy (called a registrar) or specialist nurse, regularly.
Most hospital renal units have a range of staff to help with these issues; including specialist nurses, social workers and psychologists. Ask your consultant to be referred to these staff, if you have not been already. We will now go through the areas where they can give you support.
So, what is the social care of CKD (chronic kidney disease)? We will start with defining human needs.
Human needs
This is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It is applicable to CKD and all long term conditions.
Your renal staff should address all levels of need, not just the lower two (medical, i.e. safety/physiological) levels.
A social worker can help with all the following areas. Some renal units have their own social worker(s). Ask to see them.
Emotional / Psychological
- Adjusting to a new serious diagnosis like CKD, with invasive treatment, can be very stressful.
- You may need counselling or other support. Feel free to ask for it.
Hospital discharge planning and team meetings
You and your family can:
- Attend multi-agency meeting to agree support plans for discharge from hospital (including help at home).
- Have home visits organised to see what will work best for you as a family.
Financial
If you have financial problems these are ways of getting support. Social worker can help you obtain them.
- Charitable grant applications:
- There will be a local kidney charity called a Kidney Patient Association (KPA). Staff can link you to them. There are also national charities, like Kidney Care UK and the National Kidney Federation (NKF), that can help you.
- Such charities can you give you financial assistance; and buy you white goods, furniture, household items, sheds for storage of dialysis equipment, holidays, specialist toys & equipment etc.
- Support with benefit applications and appeals.
- Support to access food banks.
Housing
- Support for patients (and their family) with housing issues including re-housing requests, adaptations to your home, and council tax benefits etc.
Legal issues
- Help with legal issues including power of attorney, immigration issues, safeguarding and will writing.
- Support with accessing local authority schemes such as Blue Badges, Disabled Facilities Grants etc.
Liaising with other agencies
- Schools, colleges and universities (patient or patient’s children).
- Occupational therapists. Home visits can be arranged, if adaptations to the home are required.
- Social care, psychology and psychiatry services, employers, utility companies, solicitors (especially immigration and family law).
Work issues
- Support with work issues such as advice on how to negotiate with employers to attend medical appointments.
- Asking your consultant to write letters of support for your employer.
Research
- Many patients like to take part in research, either to benefit themselves or other patients.
- Your social worker can ask a research nurse in your renal unit to see you, to explain how you can participate.
Difficult treatment decisions
- Dialysis (and a transplant) is not compulsory. Dialysis in particular is a very hard life. Some frail elderly people prefer not to have dialysis, or to stop if they have started, and let nature take its course.
- Feel free to bring up such concerns with your social worker. They may be easier to talk to than a doctor.
Summary
We have described the social care of CKD (chronic kidney disease). It is just as important as medical care, especially in older frailer patients.
Top Tip
A social worker is a good point of contact for your kidney care. As well as sorting out social problems, they can talk to other staff (e.g. consultant, nurse or psychologist) for you.
Other resources
One of the main UK kidney charities, Kidney Care UK, has useful information on renal social workers and what they can do here.
Last Reviewed on 5 April 2024