In a hospital setting, which social worker helps coordinate care for older adults?

• A. Healthcare Social Worker
• B. Geriatric Social Worker
• C. Hospice and Palliative Care Social Worker
• D. Family Services Social Worker

Answer: (B)

Coordinating care for older adults in the hospital relies on expertise in aging and how aging affects medical needs, daily functioning, cognition, and social supports. A geriatric social worker specializes in these areas and works with the medical team and families to plan discharge, connect community resources, assess home safety, and arrange follow-up care, ensuring a smooth and appropriate transition for the patient. This focus on the unique needs of older adults makes them the best fit for overall care coordination in a hospital setting. A general healthcare social worker handles a broad range of patient needs but isn’t specifically centered on aging-related issues. Hospice and palliative care social workers concentrate on end-of-life care and comfort goals, rather than broad care coordination for older adults. Family services social workers focus on family dynamics and access to services, not the specialized geriatric care coordination within the hospital.