Social Workers are often the connection between families, residents, and staff at nursing homes and rehabilitation communities. They are always there to provide resources, give the residents they work with a friendly ear, and advocate each day for resident rights.

We interviewed two social workers to learn more about social work and what the daily life in their field looks like. We spoke with Tinika Wilson, Social Services Director at Twin Pines Health and Rehab Center, and Madison Hammond, Social Worker at Oak Grove Health and Rehab Center. Check out the interview!

Tell us about yourself.

“I am a mother of four, grandmother of seven, and an empty nester. I am trying to reinvent myself as someone other than a full-time mom. I decided to join the social work field after I was married and had children. I’ve been juggling being a parent and a social worker for twenty-five years or so,” Wilson said.

“I am from Gastonia, North Carolina (a small town a few miles from Charlotte, North Carolina). I have one older sister, which makes me the youngest sibling. I have a dog who I love so very dearly,” Hammond told us. “I enjoy finding new things to do with my free time, such as learning how to crochet, as well as learning any new arts and crafts that I have found on social media. I also enjoy finding new TV series or movies to binge watch on Netflix, Hulu, etc. My favorite Netflix series of all time is Black Mirror. I enjoy spending time with the people who mean the most to me. I would consider myself a person who is outgoing and very easy to get along with.”

Tell us about your background in your career.

“I have a BSW degree from North Carolina A&T State University, located in Greensboro, NC, where I graduated magna cum laude in May 2020. I landed my first social work position at St. Francis Nursing Center, located in Newport News, VA. While at St. Francis Nursing Center, I’ve learned many things that have allowed me to grow my knowledge of my position as a social worker. One of those many things includes learning how to remain calm under pressure. Once I received the opportunity to be part of a Saber affiliated community in 2023, I happily took the position. While being in this role, I have grown to feel very confident with my job responsibilities, interacting with residents and my co-workers. I was also entrusted as a mentor for the Social Services department, which was an accomplishment that I did not see coming, but I’m glad it did, as I do take that responsibility very seriously and enjoy it,” Hammond responded.

“Originally, I was a stay-at-home mom and went to college, but I didn’t finish because I got married. As my children began attending school and reached kindergarten, I decided that I wanted to finish my degree and I earned my BSW degree in 2007 from Millersville University. I’ve been working in Social Work since that time, and I’ve always had a job in long-term care. For the majority of my career, I’ve been in a nursing home. I received my MSW in 2020 from Arizona State University, and I earned my license last year. It is good to continue your education and not stay stagnant because things are always changing in this field,” Wilson stated.

What is your favorite part about working in social work?

“My favorite part is empowering people to do better, as well as having the capability to make change at a policy level. That’s my favorite part because I enjoy educating people, whether it’s an individual, family, or coworkers. I’m always trying to get them to see things from a different point of view,” Wilson said.

“My favorite part about working as a social worker is being able to assist/help residents and families in a way that can improve their well-being. I love knowing that there are individuals who can rely on me to assist in any way possible. The reward to that is seeing a smile on their face and their sense of relief,” Hammond said.

What are some soft skills a social worker needs?

“I do believe that there are certain soft skills that a social worker needs to thrive in their position. For instance, you need excellent communication/interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution/problem solving skills, critical thinking, empathy, active listening, advocacy, and cultural competence. This plays a major role in ensuring that the resident is receiving the most appropriate approach,” Hammond answered.

“Active listening is one of the most important skills,” Wilson told us. “You have to be able to listen to someone and understand what they’re trying to tell you. Let them know that you’re hearing what they are saying, and you should be able to help them. That brings in the skill of communication. You will also need cultural confidence to be successful as a Social Worker. We can’t treat everyone the same, we have to treat them from where they’re at and what’s important to them.”

What made you decide to work in the social work field?

“When I was pregnant with triplets, I was in the hospital for ten weeks prior to my delivery. I was in a unit for women with high-risk pregnancies, where I had eighteen roommates. Everyone was from all different walks of life and had some kind of concern about their pregnancy. The social worker would come in to talk to us and provide support. I decided that I wanted to be a person like that, someone who could come in and help people and make good choices. That’s when I decided to go into social work and do that,” Wilson said.

“I decided to work in the social work field because I wanted to have a positive impact on other individuals’ lives. To know that I was able to help and go above and beyond to ensure the best care possible is what I strive for. I want to be remembered for the positive impact that I may have had on someone’s life,” Hammond said.

What do you think is the future of social work?

“I believe that the future of social work will entail a higher demand for social workers. My reason for this statement is because society is constantly changing,” Hammond explained. “Citizens will continue to age while others may require additional support financially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. As a social worker, this is where we will need to implement our expertise to ensure that patients’ needs are met.”

“I believe that social work will always be important to society. There’s growth because of the increase in mental health care need. However, I do think that we are going to see a change in the types of delivery systems for the field. I can see more telehealth with how everything is going. We also might see a change in how many people are going into the field, but there will be a higher demand. AI might be part of the roles, but maybe not at a nursing home level, but in healthcare in general,” Wilson stated.

What is one thing about social workers that people may not know?

“People don’t know this, but not everyone can call themselves a social worker. You can get a job as a case manager or an assistant, but you must meet certain credentials and have a certain education to join the social work field. We are very highly educated people, and not just anyone can do our job,” Wilson explained.

“One thing that most people may not know about social workers is how resilient each and every one of us are. Social workers are gifted communicators who are highly skilled at supporting, comforting, guiding, representing, and understanding all individuals from different walks of life. Social workers make the impossible possible,” Hammond said.

What is one positive memory you’ve had since joining your facility?

“One positive memory that I have had since joining Oak Grove Health and Rehab Center is becoming an IMPACT winner in 4/2025 in recognition of my accomplishments and great work. I plan to continue being an uplifting co-worker and social worker who hopes to create positive changes for the betterment at Oak Grove Health and Rehab Center,” Hammond told us.

“The most positive thing about working here are the memories with my team! We have the ability to work together and get everything done. We have to deal with a lot of different personalities and family dynamics, and we always rise to the occasion with a side of laughter. At the end of the day, we come together,” Wilson said