Journeys with Grief wins 2013 Independent Publisher Book Awards Silver Medal

Hospice Foundation of America's publication, Journeys With Grief: A Collection of Articles about Love, Life, and Loss recently won a Silver Medal from the 2013 Independent Publishers Book Awards in the Aging/Death and Dying category. All of us at HFA are very proud of the book and this well-deserved recognition, and are pleased to have this excellent resource available.   

 

About the Independent Publisher Book Awards:

The "IPPY" Awards, launched in 1996, are designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. Since the inaugural contest over 4,500 books have received IPPY Awards, and all the recognition, credibility, and increased sales that a book award can bring. Independent spirit and expertise comes from publishers of all sizes and budgets, and books are judged with that in mind. The Awards are owned and operated by Jenkins Group, a publishing services company founded 1988 and located in Traverse City, Michigan.

See the full announcement here.

 

 

HFA Summer Webinar Series on Grief Support Groups

Support Group Webinar Series

Webinars will take place on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, from noon—1:30pm ET
--June 18, July 16, August 20

Pricing: $84.95 per program for Organizations, $24.95 per program for Individuals

REGISTER EARLY FOR THE 3-PART SERIES AND SAVE
$225 for Organizations (access to all three programs)
$70 for Individuals (access to all three programs)
Register online or by mail/fax with this form.

• Running Effective Grief Support Groups: Lessons from ResearchJune 18, 2013, noon-1:30pm ET. Available until June 17, 2014.
  Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, mDiv, Professor of Gerontology, The College of New Rochelle
  J. William Worden, PhD, ABPP, author of Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner
  This webinar explores the ways that support groups can be valuable in assisting grieving individuals. Participants will explore the implications of current research that addresses the values and dangers of group modalities as well as ways to enhance the value of support groups. The discussion will include real-life examples of organizational challenges when developing and running effective support groups.

• Effective Grief Support Groups for ChildrenJuly 16, 2013, noon-1:30pm ET. Available until July 15, 2014.
  Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, mDiv, Professor of Gerontology, The College of New Rochelle
  Andy McNiel, MA, LPC, Executive Director of the National Alliance for Grieving Children
  This program will focus specifically on grief groups for children (up to the age of 13). The webinar explores various types of grief groups that work best to support grieving children, as well as the unique challenges in developing these groups.

• Effective Grief Support Groups for AdolescentsAugust 20, 2013, noon-1:30pm ET. Available until August 19, 2014.
  Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, mDiv, Professor of Gerontology, The College of New Rochelle
  Pamela Gabbay, MA, FT, Director of Mourning Star Centers and Programs at The Mourning Star Center for Grieving Children
  This program will focus specifically on grief groups for adolescents and young people (ages 13—21). The webinar explores the most current thinking about providing grief support for adolescents and the unique challenges in developing these groups.

Hospice and Medical Spanish Course

Sample HFA’s newest Educational Offering for Professionals -- try a free Sneak Peek!

Hospice Foundation of America has partnered with Canopy, a NIH-funded healthcare software company, to offer a Spanish e-learning course created specifically for hospice and healthcare professionals. Take a free “virtual walkthrough” to see how it can improve your practice!

Canopy Medical Spanish is:

• Convenient: Accessible online 24/7 with short lessons that take less than a half-hour to master
• Affordable: One-time low fee buys each licensed user unlimited access
• Educational: A certificate of completion is awarded upon successfully passing the course
• Comprehensive: Includes vocabulary and grammar, plus cultural issues and medical slang
• Engaging: Professional actors and a telenovela format make the program educational and entertaining
• Practical: Resources are available again and again when specific situations come up.

Two course options are available through HFA; both are appropriate for those learning Spanish for the first time, as well as native Spanish speakers who want to improve their medical Spanish.

• Option #1: Hospice & Medical Spanish course (only $199 for 40 hours of content)
  Take a free trial (Note: Must have Javascript enabled for trial) or order here today.

• Option #2: Hospice Spanish Vocabulary-only ($99 for 8 hours of content)
  Take a free trial (Note: Must have Javascript enabled for trial) or order here today.

Take a test drive today!

New Online Self Study Courses - Ethics and Spirituality

Earn Continuing Education Credits from Home with HFA's New ONLINE Self-Study Courses

Register now for Hospice Foundation of America's educational programs, End-of-Life Ethics and Spirituality and End-of-Life Care. Now available as an ONLINE or DVD self-study course for individuals, you can earn continuing education credits from home! With HFA's new ONLINE courses, there is no longer a need to wait for materials to arrive in the mail. The online programs are instantly available to you, directly online!

ABOUT THE PROGRAMS

End-of-Life Ethics (3 hours)

This program examines, using a case study approach, the ethical issues and dilemmas that emerge at the end-of-life, the principles of ethical decision-making and the effects of these decisions on staff and families. Case studies will be used to illustrate ethical issues that will be addressed by the program panel.
ONLINE ($55.95) and DVD ($100) formats available 

Spirituality and End-of-Life Care (3 hours)

This program discusses the differences and relationship between spirituality and religion, while also addressing spirituality during illness, death and grief; spiritual assessment and empowerment, and life review. 
ONLINE ($55.95) and DVD ($69.95) formats available

 

"Our professional staff give all of HFA's programs rave reviews! After every program, we hear this comment: This was the best one yet!"

- Theresa McDonald, Boone Hospital Center, Columbia, MO

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HOW THE SELF-STUDY PROGRAM WORKS

Step 1 - Register for the (DVD or ONLINE) course at register.hospicefoundation.org. 

-DVD Registration: HFA will mail your self-study materials to you, which are yours to keep.

-ONLINE Registration: The online video and program information are immediately available to you on the Download area online.

Step 2 - View the DVD (or online video) in its entirety. 

Step 3 - Read the 3 selected chapters of HFA's companion book (if applicable). 

Step 4 - Follow the instructions provided to receive your CE certificate online.  An evaluation form and a short exam are a part of this online process.  

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REGISTRATION OPTIONS

Registration is only $55.95 for the ONLINE self-study courses, or slightly more for the DVD courses. Registration includes the full-length video (Online or DVD), a program guide (with program information), and detailed instructions. The courses listed above also contain a copy of the companion book (or three selected chapters online). Continuing education credits are available for a number of professional boards, and are included in the price of registration.

 

Register today at register.hospicefoundation.org.

National Volunteer Week 2013

April 21-27, 2013 is National Volunteers Week and hospices know the vital role over 450,000 volunteers play in providing quality patient care for dying patients and their families. Hospice volunteers perform a wide variety of vital services, including support for patients, respite care, bereavement support and more. HFA thanks these key members of the hospice team for the dedication they show each and every day.

Have you thought about the rewards of becoming a hospice volunteer? Learn more about what being a hospice volunteer means or watch this short video to hear from other volunteers.

 

Are you a hospice worker interested in expanding your volunteer program? Listen to “Hospice Volunteers: Recruiting, Retaining, Rewarding,” a free online program that examines the important role that volunteers play in hospice, and explores creative ways that hospices can recruit and retain volunteers. The program includes tips and ideas from professional hospice volunteer coordinators, as well as personal insights from hospice volunteers. The program, plus additional resources and Fact Sheets, can be used as for volunteer recruiting and training purposes at no charge.

It's National Healthcare Decisions Day

Today is National Healthcare Decisions Day. Take some time today to communicate your wishes.

Learn more about the importance of advance care planning at www.nhdd.org and read HFA's resources on advance care planning.

Discussing the Importance of Veteran-Centric Education

"The goal of all hospice professionals is to provide the most effective care possible. If professionals aren't even aware that a person coming into hospice is a veteran, how can that care be most effective?" So says Kandyce Powell, Executive Director of the Maine Hospice Council, Inc. She has been instrumental in developing partnerships to address these issues and has been a tireless advocate for those who are disenfranchised and/or underserved. Ms. Powell was a leader in one of the first Hospice-Veteran Partnership programs, and talked with HFA about these partnerships and the critical role that education plays in providing better care for veterans at the end of life. Read more.

 

HFA interviewed Ms. Powell as part of its 2013 focus on Improving Care for Veterans Facing Illness and Death. Learn more about this program, available through April 14, 2014.

Latest HFA Professionally Speaking Interview - Joan Teno, MD, MS

We've added another interview to our Professionally Speaking series, this time talking to acclaimed health services researcher Dr. Joan Teno. Professionally Speaking interviews are informative, sometimes provocative conversations meant to stimulate thought and discussion among health care providers, policymakers and the public.

Joan M. Teno, MD, MS is a Professor of Community Health and Medicine and Associate Director of the Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University. She is a health services researcher, hospice medical director, and board-certified internist with added qualification in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Teno has over 120 research articles published in leading medical journals focusing on examining medical care for dying persons and frail persons residing in nursing homes. She is considered an expert in Artificial Nutrition and Hydration.

Parts of this interview were used in HFA's Artificial Nutrition and Hydration at the End of Life program, which is now available as a self study course both on DVD and online. The program explores medical, legal, ethical issues, and communication barriers that surround artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH). It emphasizes the need for end-of-life provider organizations to have clear and transparent policies on ANH and to offer training to staff and education for families to minimize family misunderstanding and discord as well as moral distress and anguish of staff.

Read more from Dr. Teno is this recent Special to CNN, "Give patients end-of-life options."

It's a Wrap! Production on Improving Care for Veterans

Do you remember where you were on January 31st, 2013? We here at HFA gathered with our expert panel to complete production of the 20th annual Living with Grief® program, "Improving Care for Veterans Facing Illness and Death."

Our expert panelists with moderator, Frank Sesno:
 

• Scott T. Shreve, DO, National Director, Hospice of Palliative Care, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
• Ryan Weller, MSW, LCSW, Palliative Care Program Manager, Portland VA Medical Center
• Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv, Professor of Gerontology, The College of New Rochelle, and Senior Consultant, Hospice Foundation of America
• Deborah Grassman, ARNP, Author, Lecturer, Consultant, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
• Paul Tschudi, MA, EdS, LPC, Assistant Professor/Director, The George Washington University, and Vietnam veteran

 

In a 'cozy' studio in Washington, DC, HFA managed the process of integrating interesting and informative panel discussion with compelling and emotional interviews into a program on how your clinical community can serve the diverse needs of veterans as they face illness and death.

Did you know that one out of every two men dying in the United States today is a veteran? What kind of special care do they need and deserve at the end of life?  

This was just the culmination of months of research, preparation and production as HFA staff traveled around the country to interview veterans, caregivers, and professionals from Massachusetts to Florida to Oregon.

 

With millions of vets aging, and with more than 80 percent of all veterans dying outside the Veterans Administration Healthcare System, the significance of this educational program for community hospice and palliative care providers is critical.

This 3-hour program (including local discussion) will focus on the aging veteran population, primarily those who served in Vietnam, Korea and World War II. Issues such as military culture, trauma and PTSD, stoicism, forgiveness, pain management and grief will be addressed in the context of serious and life-limiting illness, including interviews with veterans, clinicians, and researchers knowledgeable about the veteran population.
 

While our ON AIR time is done and production concluded, your time to register for this program is NOW! HFA's Improving Care for Veterans Facing Illness and Death available to view beginning April 17, 2013. Register Today to be able to show the program to your community as soon as it becomes available.

 

Bereavement Camp Training - Call for Speakers

The National Bereavement Camp Conference™ is being held in Philadelphia October 10-11, 2013 and The Moyer Foundation is looking for presenters for breakout sessions. The conference gives bereavement professionals and organizations information and training on programming, organizing and fund raising for bereavement camps for children and teens.

Do you want to share your talents?  Learn more here - the deadline is May 10, 2013.