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Patient Support
What Your Social Worker Can Do For You
The social worker is a member of your healthcare team who can help you adjust and manage your new life with kidney disease. Your social worker will discuss a number of topics such as treatment options, family adjustment issues and insurance concerns, how you can continue working, how to re-enter the workforce or receive job training. Social workers are trained to address any emotional issues that can get in the way of you successfully adjusting to chronic illness and dialysis.
“A social worker is an integral member of the medical team and is available to each patient to provide services and guidance during their renal treatments.” Barbara Desiderio, LCSW, BCD, MADS,r, The Rogosin Institute
Your social worker can help you with:
- Pre-dialysis education and assessment.
- Patient and family education.
- Coordination with the healthcare team for the patient’s plan of care.
- Adjusting to your chronic illness and treatment to maintain your quality of life.
- Social and emotional support, and sexual and relationship issues.
- Educational, vocational, and managing the challenges of daily living.
- Counseling and meetings with patients and families, including establishing and meeting personal goals and discharge planning.
- Establishing good communications with your healthcare team.
- Provide information and resources, for issues such as:
- pre-transplant evaluation and listing
- transportation
- housing
- finances
- food assistance
- health proxies and advance directives
- Advocating for you in the dialysis center, including conflict resolution, and interactions with local, state and federal agencies and programs.
- Helping you with resolving any issues if you are dissatisfied with your care.
Resources
Below is a list of many comprehensive resources to assist you during your kidney journey. Simply click on the paragraph that describes the services available.
Remember to work with your Social Worker to review these resources to receive guidance, and answers to your questions, whenever you need it.
Emergency Preparedness
IPRO and the Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) have resources for kidney patients in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
Virtual Support Groups
Rogosin Kidney Disease Support Group
For Pre-Transplant, Pre-Dialysis, Dialysis, & Transplant Patients and Families, Caregivers, Care Partners, & Significant Others
2025 Monthly Friday Sessions / 12:30 – 2:00pm
On a computer, tablet or smartphone, click on the Zoom Meeting Link
or call in on your phone: +1-212-225-8997
Meeting ID# 98566011138 passcode 739177
The next Virtual Meeting will be on:
April 25, 2025
Download the schedule for 2025 here.
To RSVP and for more information,
please contact group leader:
Barbara Desiderio, LCSW
brd9035@nyp.org
Phone: (212) 746-1569 or (212) 746-1578
PKD Foundation NYC Community Meeting
For PKD Patients and Families, Caregivers & Care Partners
2025 Sessions
Register for monthly meetings here.
IGA Nephropathy Foundation
For IGA Nephropathy Patient & Care Partner Support
2025 Sessions
Register for monthly meetings here.
Watch Dr. James Chevalier's webinar Living Better with IGA Nephropathy
On Rogosin's Apple Podcasts or on YouTube.
Food Assistance
Medication Assistance
Get the National Kidney Foundation BuzzRX Card and save 60% to 80% on all brand-name and generic medications. Look up the dscounted price of your medications at different pharmacies here.
Transportation Assistance
MTA offers two useful services for transportation assistance.
Going Back to Work
Social Security offers two useful services to help you go back to work
Social Services
Social Services
CAMBA is a non-profit that provides a wide variety of social services, including parenting support, child care programs, emergency housing, and HIV/AIDS counseling.
Affordable Housing
NYC Human Resources Administration, Department of Social Services offers help for Affordable Housing and Rental Assistance.
Medicare and Medicaid
Financial Assistance
Health and Wellness Assistance
Legal Assistance
Domestic Violence Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need a social worker? As a dialysis patient you are provided with a social worker, who is a part of your healthcare team, and will help you navigate through emotional, financial, career, lifestyle adjustments and more.
What can my social worker do for me? Your social worker will provide education, appropriate resources, and referrals necessary for your adjustment to dialysis.
How can my social worker guide me in preparing financially? Your social worker can provide you with Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Disability and insurance counseling, as well any employment concerns.
Is transportation available to take me to and from medical appointments and dialysis? Your social worker can determine what programs you may be eligible for.
What are my treatment options? Your social worker is available to guide you to other treatment options and refer you to other team members that specialize in those options you may be eligible for.
Will I still be able to work while I’m on dialysis? Dialysis (in-center and home dialysis) involves a variety of shifts and schedules that may accommodate your employment. A social worker can review this with you.
I am having difficulty adjusting, can my social worker help me with that? Absolutely! Your social worker can provide individual and family counseling, as well as outside referrals.
Are there resources to help my family adjust? Yes, your social worker specializes in resources and referrals regarding these issues, such as home care services, child care, legal assistance, community services, support groups, respite care (for example, short-term relief for primary caregivers) and many more.
Can my social worker provide me with information about kidney transplantation? The social worker is required to provide patients with information for all transplant options, including explaining wait listing, living vs. cadaver donation, and paired donation (kidney donor chains).
Schedule a virtual visit with a Wellness Ambassador here.
