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Loss of Connection

A patient's illness can negatively affect their connection to others on multiple levels. The patient's illness can limit their physical and emotional ability to engage with their loved ones as well as their involvement in their community, resulting in feelings of isolation.

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Intimate Connection-Video highlights:

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  • Relationship dynamics shift from being partners to a caregiver/care recipient relationship. 

  • Changes in the relationship dynamics are affected by: 

    • Medication

    • Physical stamina

    • Physical limitations

    • Decreased sexual activity

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Health socials workers can: 

  • Explore with patients if intimacy has been affected.

  • How intimacy can be maintained.

  • How the patient can still play a partner-type role in the relationship. 

Loss of Social Supports-Video highlights:

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  • Patients experience disappointment in the support they expected ultimately not "being there" for them.

  • Poor social support further isolates patients. 

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Health Social workers can:

  • Identify the social supports of a patient.

  • Identify ways to increase social support with the patient. 

Increased Isolation-Video highlights: 

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  • Patients find their social world becomes smaller. 

  • Have less support for a patient. 

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Health social workers can: 

  • Look for ways to reconnect patients to their community.

  • Create new connections such as:

    • Support groups.

    • Churches. 

    • Community centers. 

Intimate Connections 

"Once he held my hand, now he has to hold me up." 

Loss of Support from Others 

"I have no one I can call to help me." 

Increased Isolation 

"Their world gets smaller and smaller" 

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