Hospice Foundation of America E-Newsletter
November 2004
Hospice Foundation of America E-Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 11
November 2004
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Message from David Abrams, President
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Each November, we proudly recognize National Hospice Month by adding our voice to the well-deserved recognition of the work conducted by hospices around the country. November is also National Family Caregiver's Month and National Alzheimer's Disease Month. Hospice workers are very proud to share many of the values espoused by these movements. At HFA we encourage our readers to learn more about these important health and social issues. We've listed links to some significant organizations in the FYI section below.
November is also the beginning of the holiday season. At HFA this is the time of year we focus our resources to help people cope with the particular issues of grief during the holidays. We've listed a number of our resources related specifically to this time of year in the event some of the families you serve might find value in them.
We are also pleased to announce the launch of our redesigned and improved web site geared to health care consumers and professional caregivers. It is significant that we chose to launch the new HFA site in conjunction with National Hospice Month; it is HFA's way of recognizing the importance of hospice care and the critical roles of hospice caregivers. You can read more about the new elements of our site, http://www.hospicefoundation.org, below.
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Focus on: Holidays and Grief
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An awareness of the challenges the season presents does not make grieving any easier, but it may help people understand and accept their reactions. Dr. Kenneth Doka, HFA's Senior Bereavement Consultant, suggests following "The Three C's of Holiday Grief." CHOOSE: We can decide what activities we wish to participate in, who we want to be with, what we want to do.
COMMUNICATE: We can discuss our choices with others, especially those who are affected by them. They have needs as well.
COMPROMISE: When we communicate, we may find that our feelings and needs, the very ways that we cope, will differ. We need to find space to compromise.
Read the full text of Dr. Doka's article.
For a more personal account of one woman's challenging and somewhat surprising experiences with grief during the holidays, read "The Longest Night" by freelance writer Elizabeth Halling.
The articles above are part of HFA's Holiday Issue of its bereavement newsletter, Journeys. This special issue, which offers practical advice and support to those coping with loss during the holidays, is used by many professionals to help the grieving families with whom they work, and can be ordered individually or in bulk. For more information or to request a sample copy, please e-mail hfaoffice@hospicefoundation.org or place an order online.
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What's New@HFA
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Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) is pleased to announce the launching of www.hospicefoundation.org,its redesigned and improved web site geared to health care consumers and professional caregivers. "We wanted to provide an Internet resource that meets an unmet need," said Jack Gordon, HFA Chairman and CEO.
"Through this site, we are providing a gateway to the best information on hospice care for caregivers or anyone wanting more information about the concept of hospice and care at the end of life." The site provides visitors an opportunity to "Ask an Expert" and receive answers, via e-mail, from hospice physician William Lamers, an authority on pain management and hospice care, or Kenneth Doka, a professor of gerontology who is known internationally for his work on grief and bereavement. HFA's redesigned web site also includes a new Caregiver's Corner for family caregivers and paid professional caregivers. Please go to http://www.hospicefoundation.org to see more about what HFA's web site has to offer.
HFA has developed a new Special Pet Loss Issue of its bereavement newsletter, Journeys. This special issue of Journeys is dedicated to those who are grieving the death of an animal companion.
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In the News
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The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine will publish an article on HFA’s recent Clergy Education project. "The Florida End-of-Life Clergy Education Enhancement Project: A description and evaluation," co-authored by David Abrams; Sonya Albury, MSW; Lee Crandall, PhD; Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv; and Robert Harris, focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of an innovative program conducted in 2002-2003 to educate Florida clergy members in care at the end of life.
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Ethical Dilemmas at the End of Life
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Professionals who provide clinical services in end-of-life situations will likely be faced with a variety of complicated issues and decisions…issues include how, where, and when people die; how to talk about dying; and conflicts in end-of-life situations. Decisions associated with all of these areas occur within legal and cultural contexts that must be taken into account. James L. Werth, Jr., Ph.D., of the Department of Psychology at the University of Akron, has contributed a chapter for HFA's teleconference companion book, "Ethical Dilemmas at the End of Life." The teleconference will be broadcast on April 20, 2005. Read the chapter.
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Site Coordinator's Corner
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Registration is now available online for hosting a teleconference site! The site registration fee is only $20 for Site Coordinators who register before January 15th.
And remember--Continuing Education Unit credits are available for a wide range of professionals for HFA's teleconference. In order to take advantage of the continuing education component of this program, you must register your site with HFA.
Need more information about hosting a site for the teleconference? Check out the Frequently Asked Questions section.
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F.Y.I .
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November is an important time for communities to honor and support those who work in caregiving and end-of-life care. In conjunction with National Hospice Month, Hospice Foundation of America offers two excellent brochures, "Choosing Hospice" and "Hospice Volunteers."
For additional information and ideas on National Hospice Month, visit the web site of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
To learn more about National Family Caregiver's Month, go to the web site of the National Family Caregiver's Association.
To understand more about the initiatives of National Alzheimer's Disease Month, check out the web site of The Alzheimer's Association.
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This newsletter is sent to more than 6,400 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.
Privacy Statement: In no case will we share e-mail addresses. See the full text
of HFA's Privacy Policy.
This newsletter is published by Hospice Foundation of America
Jack D. Gordon, Chairman
David Abrams, President
http://www.hospicefoundation.org
© Hospice Foundation of America 2004
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