Chrissy Kelsey, Ardent’s social worker in Fresno, embodies the personalized and thoughtful care we provide our hospice patients. She doesn’t just meet the requirements of her role as a social worker; she is one of the strongest advocates for every single patient and family we have on our services. She represents them, defends them, and champions for them, and for National Social Work Month, we’re celebrating Chrissy and all she does for Ardent.
Finding Her Calling
When Chrissy’s mother became ill with cancer, she was introduced to hospice. Chrissy was impressed with the social workers and how they went out of their way to help her entire family. Shortly after that, her aunt was diagnosed with cancer as well. Chrissy became her caregiver as her aunt went onto hospice and the social worker made extra efforts to care for her family.
Chrissy had been a police dispatcher for almost 20 years, and after having her third child, she decided it was time to find a career that offered regular work hours. Seeing how much the hospice social workers had affected her family in a time of grief touched Chrissy, and she decided to go back to school. All of her previous education had been a criminology background, so she had to start from scratch. Chrissy went back to school in her 40s, got her bachelor’s degree when she was 50, and earned a master’s at age 53.
“I just really enjoy it,” Chrissy says. “For me, it’s a calling. There’s a lot of love involved.”
Helping Patients and Loved Ones
Besides the normal duties of a social worker—filling out forms, contacting local resources, setting up advanced directives, and organizing meetings with families—Chrissy takes it a step further in advocating for our patients.
When a patient is in a skilled nursing facility or receiving residential home care, her primary role is to be a companion. For patients who are still in their own home (or living with a family member), Chrissy’s focus is on finding caregiving help for the family members. Many families feel like they have to do it all on their own, so Chrissy offers emotional support and gently reminds them that accepting help can alleviate their stress and lead to better care for their loved one.
There are often times when Chrissy goes above and beyond these typical functions. For instance, she’ll sometimes have to call and argue with insurance companies to make sure certain items—like an ambulance bill—which should be covered, are actually paid for.
Once, when a patient was placed in a nursing facility, Chrissy had to round up that woman’s cats for the SPCA. Even though she is allergic to cats and was covered in hives, she still chased the cats around the house until they had all been caught and could be given to the SPCA to find a safe home.
Building an Ardent Family
Chrissy has taken her role as a social worker and turned it into a family affair. Her daughter, who is now 19, has been volunteering by playing the flute for patients since her senior year of high school. When she comes home on break from college, she still goes to play for some of the patients.
“It’s touching to me when I see how they respond to the music,” Chrissy says. “I see that something as small as five minutes of someone’s time, whether it’s my daughter or anyone else who does something for these people, can put a smile on their face and brighten their day.”
Chrissy jokes around that some of these women are like her daughter’s surrogate grandmother and her own surrogate mom. “I miss my mother and when I’m able to be with these elderly women and comfort them,” she says, “it’s almost like I’m able to do it again for my mom.”
That personalized kind of care is seen in how she helps all the families on our care. During the first few weeks a patient is on hospice, Chrissy says there are a few ups and downs; patients and families aren’t sure of what to expect. Once they fall into a routine, she says it’s like Ardent becomes an immediate part of the family. They look forward to her visits and visits by our nurses and other team members, because families realize that we’re there to support them in every way possible.
“It’s a privilege to be in these people’s homes,” Chrissy says. “It’s not just a job. It’s a privilege to be there for something so intimate.”
All our social workers play an integral role in Ardent’s team. They’re our leaders in care, giving patients and families a personalized and thoughtful experience. To learn more about how our social workers collaborate with the rest of the team to bring exceptional care to our patients, visit us online or call Ardent at 559-408-5945.
Share +