HFA's E-Newsletter - Sep/Oct 2010

Volume 10, Issue 9/10

In this issue:  

Message from Amy Tucci, President and CEO

We're very pleased to announce that Registration is open for our 18th annual Living with Grief® educational program, with a focus on Spirituality and End-of-Life Care. As we head into our 18th program, we've added some new features and want to be sure you're aware of some exciting programmatic changes.

 

For the first time, HFA's Living with Grief® educational program, Spirituality and End-of-Life Care will be available only on DVD. Instead of asking your organization to commit to participating in one live broadcast of the program, this DVD-only option gives  you the flexibility to schedule your event at a time most convenient to your audience, and allows you the additional opportunity to repeat the program throughout the year.  The program can be shown beginning April 13, 2011.

 

Since its inception 18 years ago, HFA's Living with Grief® program has utilized technology to provide high-quality educational programs to meet the needs of hospices and other organizations. Offering the program in this new format is our response to the concerns of many of our Site Coordinators, who have experienced both technical and scheduling challenges in participating in a one-time only live broadcast. We know with change comes uncertainty, but we are excited about the opportunities this new programming option will provide to you and your community.  In addition, we're adding a new three-part webinar series in the months following the DVD release to explore issues raised in the main program in greater detail.

 

We were recently honored to receive this e-mail from a long-time Site Coordinator. "I have been a Teleconference Site Coordinator from the very first year, so 2011 will be my 18th year too!  The programs have only gotten better each year. Hosting the Teleconference demonstrated that both hospices I worked for in that time span were committed to high quality continuing professional education as well as excellent patient care." We are confident that the 2011 program will continue to meet these high standards.

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Registration Now Open for the 2011 LWG Program!

Spirituality and End-of-Life Care will discuss the differences and relationship between spirituality and religion, while also addressing spirituality during illness, death and grief; spiritual assessment and empowerment, and life review. The program will feature a distinguished panel of experts, including:

  • Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv, Professor of Gerontology at The College of New Rochelle
  • Gary S. Fink, DMin, Chaplain and Dementia Project Coordinator at Montgomery Hospice, and Adjunct Faculty at Hood College Graduate School
  • Carolyn Jacobs, PhD, MSW, Dean and Elizabeth Marting Treuhaft Professor at Smith College, School for Social Work
  • Betty Kramer, PhD, MSSW, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Social Work
  • Reinette Powers Murray, MSN, CNS, RN, Consultant to The Peaceful Journey-End-of-Life Process programcertified as a Train-the-Trainer for End-of-Life Nursing Education (ELNEC)
  • Martha Rutland, DMin, BCC, ACPE, Director of Clinical Pastoral Education at VITAS Innovative Hospice Care

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What's New about the 2011 Program?

For the first time, HFA's Living with Grief® educational program, Spirituality and End-of-Life Care will be available only on DVD. The program can be shown beginning April 13, 2011. Continuing education credits are available for a year following the release date, but learners will enjoy discounted CEs during the first two weeks after the official release date of April 13.

 

All registered Site Coordinators will receive the 2011 DVD before the official release date and will be asked to not schedule a showing prior to April 13, but will have the DVD with ample time to test their  equipment.

Many of the benefits of hosting this program are not new; they continue with the high standard of excellence that HFA programs are known for.

 

  • HFA Brings the Experts to You!  There's no need for expensive travel and many hours, or even days, away from the office. 
  • Low-cost CE Credits! Most boards have approved this program for awarding 3 credits to nurses, social workers, case managers, counselors, and more!
  •  Excellent for Community Outreach! Many host sites use the program as another opportunity to connect with their community. HFA will provide materials to help you promote this educational event.

This programming change also allows you to take advantage of these additional educational opportunities, included in the low cost of registering:

 

  • An option for your audience to speak with one of several panel members who will be available by telephone on April 13, as long as you show the program on that day. 
  • A bonus package that will include three webinars in late Spring/early Summer of 2011, allowing audiences to explore specific topics in more detail, including:  Leaving Legacies-- Spiritual Meaning Making at the End-of-Life, including Reminiscence and Life Review, Dignity Enhancement Therapies, Living Eulogies and Other Meaning-Making Approaches; and The Dark Night of the Soul:  Assisting Clients Coping with Spiritual Distress at the End-of-Life.

Continuing Education Credits will be available at no cost for these webinars.

 

View Registration information and online registration opportunities.

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The Hospice Information Center

Hospice Foundation of America's new Hospice Information Center offers a range of online resources for families, friends and professionals. This centralized resource is funded by the  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and can be found on HFA's website at http://www.hospicefoundation.org/infocenter.

The Hospice Information Center provides information about hospice care and other aspects of end of life, such as caregiving, grief, and palliative care. The online resource area offers opportunities to: 

  • Listen to the Voices of people who have experienced hospice, who work in hospice, and other experts who work in the area of grief and bereavement.
  • Educate Yourself and Others about the basics of hospice care, grief, and caregiving. Online presentations are available to access information in a convenient, user-friendly format; free CEs are available for some programs.
  • Read and Share Resources on end-of-life care, hospice, and grief and bereavement. HFA has developed one-page Fact Sheets on many topics. Print resources are also available in Spanish, and materials in Chinese and Vietnamese will be available soon.
  • Ask HFA questions about hospice care, caregiving, and grief.

The resources in the Hospice Information Center make it easier for family and friends to learn about hospice and how it can help people cope with some of life's most challenging situations, in a format that is accessible and understandable. The programming also provides hospices and other community organizations the opportunity to educate staff and volunteers about the basics of hospice care, caregiving, and grief. Brochures are available to download and share, and links are provided to guide viewers to more information on a variety of subjects.

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What’s New @ HFA’s Hospice and Caregiving Blog

HFA's Hospice and Caregiving Blog gathers and disseminates information useful to professionals and consumers from a single destination. Our goals are to inform, offer support, and generate online comments about important end-of life issues. Read some of the blog's recent postings:

Subscribe to the Hospice and Caregiving blog feed and follow HFA on Twitter.

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Upcoming Conferences and Educational Opportunities

National Survivors of Suicide Day, a day of healing for bereavement after suicide, is Saturday, November 20, 2010. Every year, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) sponsors an event to provide an opportunity for survivors of suicide loss to come together on this day for support, healing, and information.

Please visit www.afsp.org/survivorday  to:

  1. Locate a local conference site
  2. Watch the live streaming webcast from a home computer from 1-2:30 pm EST and then join in a live online chat immediately afterwards
  3. Watch webcasts from previous years in English or Spanish at anytime.

Questions? Contact the AFSP at survivingsuicideloss@afsp.org  or 1-888-333-2377 x33.


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