Support

Pediatric Oncology Social Work

The role of the pediatric oncology social worker is to help patients, families, and caregivers deal with the experience of facing cancer. Our licensed clinical social workers are educated and skilled to assist with the psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual issues that often arise when a child is diagnosed with cancer.

UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital Pediatric Oncology Social Workers help:

• Children and their families cope from the moment of diagnosis through to the end of treatment, whether survivorship or palliative care.
• Families adjust to the diagnosis and the changes created in how they live their lives.
• Family members by providing emotional support and counseling.
• Patients and families maintain a ‘new normal’ way of living.
• Families navigate the medical system, helping to bridge connections between the family and the medical team.
• Identify resources (emotional, supportive, and/or financial).
• School-aged patients remain connected with the school to decrease the impact of treatment on their social, emotional, and academic development.
• Patients return to school successfully, when they are ready to return.
• Families and children by advocating for their needs within the hospital and community setting.

If you think you might want help in any of these areas, tell your doctor or nurse that you would like to meet with a pediatric oncology social worker.

Certified Child Life Specialists

The Child Life Program was established to help children and families cope with the stress and anxiety of hospitalization. Child Life Specialists at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital are certified professionals who work in partnership with families, doctors, nurses, and other caregivers to meet the unique emotional and developmental needs of children and families. These services are available in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. You can request a consultation by calling (352) 594-6470 or asking your medical team for a referral.

UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital Child Life Specialists (CCLS):

• Provide age-appropriate play and activities to promote coping, expression of feelings, and adjustment to the healthcare setting.
• Prepare, educate, and support children undergoing medical procedures and treatments to help them understand what to expect, clear up any misconceptions, and build healthy coping skills.
• Provide support and distraction for patients during medical procedures.
• Provide non-threatening, age-appropriate explanations, and preparations.
• Help children understand diagnosis or illness.
• Promote normal growth and development.
• Offer legacy building and memory making to help children cope with grief.
• Develop supportive relationships with patients and families and promote family-centered care.

Streetlight

Adolescent & Young Adult Support

Streetlight is an adolescent and young adult support program here at UF Health for people aged 13-25 living with cancer, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell, and other chronic and life-limiting illnesses. The services are available during a patient’s admission to Shands Hospital. To request services, ask your medical team or call *50917 from a hospital phone.

UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital Streetlight Program Provides:

• Laptops & Homework Help
• Art Materials & Jewelry Making
• DVDs & Magazines
• Streetlight T-Shirt & Room Visits
• Video Games/Systems
• Manicures and Pedicures
• Guitars and Other Musical Instruments
• ShandsSpaces: a collage of your personal identity
• Teen lounge with pool, music, computers, and board games

Hospital Homebound

Education During Treatment

A homebound or hospitalized student is a student who has a medically diagnosed physical or psychiatric condition which is acute or catastrophic in nature, a chronic illness, or a repeated intermittent illness due to a persisting medical problem and that confines the student to home or the hospital and restricts activities for an extended period of time.

If hospital/homebound services are needed, the clinical social worker will coordinate with the family, the medical team, and the hospital school teacher to refer the family.

Hospital School Teacher: Michelle Roberts has been a Homebound Instructor with Alachua County Schools since February 2016. She came to Shands following her work as a Learning Specialist with the University of Florida’s Athletic Department, where she had worked with collegiate athletes since 2008. She can see patients during admission or as outpatients when relocated to the local area for an extended period of time.

Medical Interpreter & Translation Services

We provide interpretation services each year to thousands of patients and their families with limited English proficiency to ensure patient safety and compassionate care. Spanish medical interpreters are available from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, to assist patients and families during their hospital stay. We also offer 24/7 phone translation services when our interpreters are unavailable. Contact the Office of Patient Experience for assistance (352) 265-0123.

Helpful Handouts

Health & Wellness Video Series

• Healthy Eating on a Budget
• Movement & Connection
• Nutrition
• Sleep & Stress
• High Calorie High Protein Diet

Local and Online Support Programs

More Psychosocial Support at UF Health