Experts

Anna Fleck

MSW, LSW
Hospice Social Worker
AseraCare Hospice - Altoona, PA

Anna Fleck has been a social worker with AseraCare for three years, and has worked in human services for over 22 years. She spent 19 years with Family Services of Pennsylvania as a director of services for victims of violent crime. Anna has also been a part-time lecturer at Penn State University’s Altoona campus, where she has taught various courses in human development, counseling and administration of human services programs.

In her current role, Anna’s responsibilities include assessing patient and family psychosocial needs; and then developing and implementing a plan of care to meet those needs. She also serves as a psycho-social co-mentor for Region 1. Anna finds it an honor and a deeply meaningful experience to share such an intimate time with her patients and their families.

The collegial atmosphere and mutual respect across the various disciplines with her co-workers is one of the things Anna enjoys most about her work. Additionally, she finds a certain level of autonomy afforded to social workers that is not always evident in other areas of medical social work. “It is a work environment which encourages excellence in the work I do, with AseraCare providing the support I need to do my job effectively,” says Anna.

She believes that one of the key drivers in providing excellent services to patients and their families is compassion. There can be a lot of stress associated with such a fast paced and dynamic work environment. Yet, she observes, there is a level of compassion felt and expressed toward patients and families by each member of the hospice team that is inspiting. “It is out of this compassion that we are mutually supported and motivated to excellence on behalf of those we serve,” says Anna.