Care during COVID-19: adaptation of the methods
The coronavirus crisis has threatened the world with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring it as a global pandemic. With borders, restricted travels, slashed economies, deserted migrants and billions isolated in their own homes (WHO Situation Report, 2020 ), it could right be stated that pandemics have extended beyond just the traditional method of the provision of a pill. As the world's focus shifts towards the development of the vaccine, the underlying psycho-social concerns could be often neglected (Singhal, 2020 ). During coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), health care professionals had to deal with many social evils in varied forms which were brought by the clients, their family members or layman calling to find a solution.
The social work profession focusses on the welfare and rights of the person. Modification of the traditional methods to the current scenario ensured the conscious application of them using appropriate tools and techniques keeping the person, problem, place and process in mind (Perlman, 1957 ). Amongst the six methods, three have been adapted:
Social case work : Primary method is given by Mary Richmond for a one-on-one based intervention focussing on improving the impaired relationship of the client through a guided interaction by enabling the adapt to their social environment.
Social group work : Group work as a method involves using a group as a potential for positive change and personality development thereby improving the group as a whole.
Community organization : This method of social work involves meeting the needs of the community by organizing humans and material resources of the community through collaboration.
To provide services on individual, group and community levels the interventions were provided as:
(1)Telephone follow-ups : Stemming from the case work approach, telephone follow-ups catered to providing individual and family sessions thereby ensuring social distancing and with the rules of national lockdown, with the clients as well as their family members to reduce the distress, anxiety, stress and improve the functionality.
Example: Persons with various neuropsychiatric conditions were provided sessions to understand their current status and associated concerns through telephonic follow-up.
(2)Online group sessions : Group sessions with non-governmental organizations were conducted on mental health concerns, activities for their functionality and upgradation of skills during this COVID-19 crisis. These sessions have then been conducted for a group set of 8–10 members on common objectives with common needs on a common platform with a facilitator taking the group on Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning session.
Example: Social media groups addressed the mental health concerns for a defined group helping them to reduce their difficulties through lecture method, activity-based learning and brainstorming sessions helping them to achieve objectives through the group process.
(3)Outreach programmes : Various think tanks came in together to provide interventions for the different communities. Crisis intervention documents were prepared and Training of Trainers (TOT) was done to establish the continuum of care.
Example: We Make Change organization having its branches across the globe where social workers worked to provide care through various Departments of Social Work by training their cohort through the TOT model. Utilizing the District Mental Health Programme counselling and drug adherence was ensured through networking and liasoning, helping them to have the right knowledge, attitude and practices by spreading awareness and reducing myths and misconceptions.
The COVID-19 situation has made us realize that this is the time for a “New Normalcy” and in the post-COVID-19 era, one needs to have Critical Social Work as a school to approach and address the difficulties as the methods may remain the same but it is the method of provision of the care that is modified but the goal remains to ensure the rights of the clients as always.
