Hospice Foundation of America E-Newsletter
September 2003
Hospice Foundation of America E-Newsletter
Volume 3, Issue 9
September 2003
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Message from David Abrams, President
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This month we're pleased to feature an interview with Dr. Earl Grollman, a rabbi and internationally known expert in crisis intervention and grief education. Dr. Grollman's interview is timely on many fronts. He was closely involved with counseling at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks, he was asked to provide counseling services in Oklahoma City after the bombing of the Murrah Building in 1995, and he was a lead educator in HFA's Florida Clergy Education program, which was recently funded for a second year.
Dr. Grollman also writes the "Because You Asked" column for 'Journeys,' HFA's bereavement newsletter. His column addresses questions from bereaved individuals as they move through the grief process. We'll feature a "Because You Asked" column every other month in our e-newsletter so that Dr. Grollman's advice may aid you in providing answers to those with whom you work. We welcome questions from our readers on bereavement atquestions@hospicefoundation.org , and plan to add additional question-and-answer opportunities on other subjects in the months to come.
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Focus on: A Discussion with Dr. Earl Grollman
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Dr. Earl Grollman has been in the forefront of the thanatology field and is a highly-respected figure in the area of crisis intervention. He discusses how he became involved in this field and the changes he has witnessed over the years; how clergy and other professionals can take care of themselves while supporting others; and some of the spiritual issues faced by caregivers.
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New Feature: "Because You Asked"
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HFA is pleased to have Dr. Grollman as a regular contributor to its monthly bereavement newsletter, Journeys. Journeys is designed to offer support and practical advice to those coping with loss and bereavement, and is a caring and cost-effective way to provide ongoing comfort and support to the families you serve. Dr. Grollman writes "Because You Asked", a question-and-answer column that addresses common issues and emotions experienced by the bereaved. We asked him about the types of questions he receives.
"The questions generally fall into two main categories. One: 'Is what I am feeling normal?' ' What does grief 'feel' like, and what should I expect next?' And the others are practical questions-'what do I do with my wedding ring', or 'how do we change our holiday traditions?' In these situations, people often want exact answers. But ultimately each person must choose what is right for him or herself; professionals can offer choices and alternatives to help guide those decisions."
Read "Am I Losing My Mind?"
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Site Coordinator's Corner
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HFA's 11th Annual National Bereavement Teleconference will focus on "Living With Grief: Alzheimer's Disease." The live-via-satellite program, moderated by Cokie Roberts, will be broadcast Wednesday, April 28, 2004 from 1:30pm to 4:00pm EDT. An panel of experts will discuss what we know medically about the diagnosis, progression, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; explore some innovative programs for patients and caregivers coping with Alzheimer's; focus on the grief issues that are particular to this illness, both while the patient is alive and after death; and the challenges and opportunities that Alzheimer's disease presents to hospice providers and policy makers.
Registration for organizations hosting the teleconference will begin in late September; more information and an online registration form will be available at that time. If you work with other organizations at the local or national level that would be interested in this year's topic, please pass along information about the teleconference to them. If you belong to any professional associations whose members would benefit from knowing about the program, please contact us at telecon@hospicefoundation.org and we would be happy to share information with them.
The one-hour edited video of the 2003 National Bereavement Teleconference, "Coping With Public Tragedy", is available now. Order here.
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F.Y.I.
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The Administration on Aging is hosting the "National Summit on Creating Caring Communities" on September 21-23 in Orlando Florida. Hear from experts about subjects that are vital to your organization's future success and find practical information and tools you can use. Go to http://www.aoa.gov/ for details and to register.
The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) presents "Building Caregiver Coalitions." This satellite broadcast and webcast, which will run September 30 from 1:00pm-3:00pm EST, features a roundtable discussion and question-and-answer session with a diverse 12-member expert panel. The broadcast provides an opportunity for interested parties and organizations to develop and discuss strategies that build state-focused coalitions to help to provide services and information to caregivers. For more information regarding the broadcast, please go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ partnerships (under "News and Events") or contact Betty Burrier at bburrier1@cms.hhs.gov.
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This newsletter is sent to more than 6,800 subscribers on the 2nd Wednesday of every month to keep you
informed of what is happening in the fields of hospice, grief and bereavement, and
caregiving, as well as what's new at HFA. We encourage you to forward this e-newsletter to an interested colleague or
friend.
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This newsletter is published by Hospice Foundation of America
Jack D. Gordon, Chairman
David Abrams, President http://www.hospicefoundation.org
© Hospice Foundation of America 2003
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