The role of our work which we call casework is to enhance the personal & social functioning on an individual or family through an assessment of need and work with the person to enhance problem solving skills to find solutions to problems that are difficult for individuals to navigate on their own and it also can include referring to agencies for resources and services which can also enhance their functional capacity. The focus of casework is always on the individual.
A person can get in touch with us at any stage along their pathway with MS. It may be when they are newly diagnosed and want someone to talk with, it may be when they have their first relapse and they are frightened, it may be about wanting to reduce their work hours or give up work & finding out their entitlements, it might be a query about driving so they maintain independence, or giving information on an aid/ appliance that makes their life easier, it could be a housing issue, or even a referral to HSE Physio/ OT/ PHN or other HSE service that’s needed.
It might be a social issue like wanting to meet others with MS or availing of the many programmes and services that MS Ireland offers. The list is endless and all relative to the person who has made the contact with us. Often it is a dip in and out service that we provide and people just get in contact when and if they need us as their issue arise. As everybody is different, they can contact us about anything and we will try and source the information for them if we don’t know it first-hand.
My advice to anyone newly diagnosed is to get in contact as early as you can as the support, information and advice that you can receive may save you endless worry & time spent trying to Google answers when you can have a point of reference from a professional with the most up to date information source, which I feel is so valuable. It’s a complete confidential service, so you don’t have to go through this difficult time in your life alone or with a feeling of not knowing where to turn to when there is someone waiting to support you.
I can be contacted through the Southern Regional office on 021-4300001 which is manned Mon- Fri 10-3pm by Wendy or on my mobile 087-2663489 Mon- Wed only. Email: southern@ms-society.ie or siobhanl@ms-society.ie.
Kind regards.
Siobhan Lynch