Final answer:
The first step a social worker should take when faced with an elderly client overwhelmed with managing her medications and other tasks is to ask about available family support. If family support is insufficient or unavailable, then referring the client to community services, exploring interest in an assisted living facility or helping manage her medications will follow. A comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment is crucial in these situations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Upon considering the scenario where an 80 year old client is overwhelmed with managing her medications and other tasks after her husband's death, the first step a social worker should take would be to ask about available family support. This is crucial because it directly assesses the potential immediate assistance that could possibly be available to the client. The social worker can ask whether the client has close relatives who are capable of helping out or if there are responsible family members who could systematically help manage the client's medications and other tasks.
If family support is unavailable or insufficient, then referring the client to community services, exploring interest in an assisted living facility, and managing her medications would be subsequent steps. Conducting a comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment is critical in such situations to fully comprehend the context and circumstances of the client. This would inform the social worker's decisions about the most appropriate interventions to ensure her well-being and facilitate her ability to manage her daily tasks efficiently.
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