High quality nursing home care requires staffing across multiple departments. One department that plays a key role in nursing homes is the social service department, which is responsible for providing psychosocial services.1,2 This includes providing interventions and emotional support to residents and their families in adjusting to living in a nursing home, adapting to new levels of functional impairment, and coping with cognitive and mental health issues such as dementia or depression. Additionally, social service staff are key in completing psychosocial assessments to guide care planning, planning discharges from the facility, and making referrals to resources that help nursing home residents safely return to living in the community when possible. Read more.
