This March, recognize social workers

During National Social Workers Month, a local social worker reflects on how she has been juggling her own pandemic pressure while working to help others. Sara Koppus, of Fostoria, graduated from Lakota High School and Bowling Green State University where she earned a bachelor of science degree in social work. While interning at the ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital, she fell in love with the health care field. This month of awareness-building aims to highlight the critical work of these frontline workers as they help people across the country.Currently, Koppus works at Tiffin Rehabilitation Center, where she has been employed for the past seven years. Prior, she worked at the Autumnwood Care Center for 13-years. Both facilities are part of Volunteers of America. Koppus' work takes place in health care settings to help individuals adjust to a new environment. She makes sure her clients have all the services they need, and a safe way to obtain them. Koppus said she is also an advocate for her clients to work to get the best possible care. "I stick up for them and give the patient perspective," Koppus said. What she likes most about her work is the connections she has with people, which has been made more difficult during the pandemic. Koppus said they have a limited amount of time to spend with their patients and have to wear a lot of personal protective equipment that can be hard for individuals who may have difficulty hearing. "We have to keep ourselves, our families and our patients safe," she said. It is was also hard to see her patients not be able to see their families when they aren't feeling well. "It's difficult to watch these people hurt and not be able to help them like you are used to," Koppus said. "We're problem-solvers by nature so we've worked really hard to figure out how to get around barriers to do the best we can with what we have to provide the best care possible for people." "It has been hard to create a rapport," she said. To help, Koppus said there are a lot of phone calls and her coworkers help with her clients, as they are able to remain in rooms slightly longer. "My coworkers are fantastic," Koppus said. Koppus said she's learned how resilient people can be, especially the senior population. "People may not have agreed with the protocols that had to be put in place, but they were very flexible and understanding to the limitations," she said. In the future, Koppus said she wants patients to be able to get their hugs and touch back."Touch is so important to patients' emotional and mental well-being," Koppus said. Koppus said social workers can be overlooked at times and she wants to thank and give her appreciation to her fellow social workers.