Hospice Foundation of America
E-Newsletter
Volume 7, Issue 5
May 2007
http://www.hospicefoundation.org
May 2007
In this issue:
- Message from David Abrams, President/CEO
- Focus on: Community Support in Public Tragedy
- Resources on Public Tragedy and Sudden Loss
- HFA's National Bereavement Teleconference
- Living With Grief: Before and After the Death
- What's New@HFA
- Upcoming Conferences and Educational Opportunities
Message from David Abrams, President/CEO
In HFA's book on "Coping with Public Tragedy," David Thompson and Edward Holland wrote: "At some point during our healing journey, we will need to stop driving in the circle of 'Why?' questions that only make us dizzy. Instead, we will be challenged to re-enter the freeway of daily living, asking: 'What now? What's next? How then, shall I live?' Our response to these questions will make all the difference in the world." Hospice Foundation of America offers its deepest sympathy for those affected by the tragic events at Virginia Tech in April. The graduation ceremonies this week will be another difficult reminder of the losses experienced.
Health professionals play a vital role in public tragedies and it is fitting that we commemorate their contribution to the public's physical and mental health. National Nurses Week is May 6--12, celebrating with the theme "Nursing: A Profession and a Passion." HFA honors the vital role that hospice nurses play this week and every week in providing care and comfort to people at the end of life and in other situations as well. For more information, see here.
Focus on: Community Support in Public Tragedy
Some public tragedies draw national attention, but communities face tragic losses each day. HFA turned to our two Senior Consultants, Kenneth J. Doka, PhD and William Lamers, MD, to ask their advice on how communities can support families in their midst who are dealing with loss.
- Grief is a long process – a roller coaster of reactions that will not quickly subside. As the shock of the death recedes, the full force of the loss and grief may be manifested in many ways. Some grievers may experience strong feelings, such as anger, guilt, yearning, loneliness, and sadness. Others may find it difficult to concentrate or focus on work or studies. Many will replay the tragic events in their minds, seeking to find ways that this tragedy might have been avoided
- For some, the effects of grief may be physical, experienced through aches and pains or through less resistance to illness. For others, behaviors may change. Some may need time to be alone and withdraw from associations, while others will seek constant activity to forestall their grief. And there could be combinations of effects.
- The difficult events will challenge the spirituality of some grievers as they try to understand how such unnecessary and tragic deaths could occur. For others, spiritual solace will be found in their beliefs, rituals, or faith communities.
- The effects of these types of tragedies are long lasting, and a sense of safety may be forever altered. The effects of PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – may be experienced with reactions such as flashbacks or recurring nightmares. Each person will experience grief in his or her own way. All will need the support of their own community of family and friends as they try to find their way of coping with that loss.
Although hospice is not generally associated with public tragedy, local hospices are valuable local resources for any type of loss and grief. Although hospices deal primarily in death due to illness and disease, many local hospices are knowledgeable in helping families deal with the full range of losses.
Resources on Public Tragedy and Sudden Loss
Hospice Foundation of America offers resources to help those affected by tragedy and sudden loss. These materials have been developed to aid those coping with grief, as well as to those assisting neighbors, friends, coworkers and loved ones.
Living
With Grief: Coping With Public Tragedy:
For general information about the nature of public tragedy and how it
impacts upon communities and individuals:
- An examination of hospices as resources during community tragedy
- A discussion of the role of the news media
- Practical information for first responders and "front-line" professionals
- A comprehensive Resource List of national support organizations
Living With Grief: At Work, At School, At Worship:
Another volume in HFA's series that examines:
- the grieving student in the school environment, including college
- supporting grieving employees
- a primer on loss and grief
Additional Resources include HFA's Living With Grief Brochures, a series of three brochures offering practical suggestions for schools, workplaces, and faith communities; and Journeys, a bereavement newsletter with special issues for the newly bereaved and those helping young people. For an article which focuses on individual loss by well-known grief counselor Judy Tatelbaum, see here.
HFA's National Bereavement Teleconference
HFA is proud to announce that the 2008 program will focus on Living With Grief: Children and Adolescents. HFA's 2008 Teleconference will focus on the experience of grieving children and adolescents and the ways that hospices, schools, grief counselors, and parents can best support these populations as they cope with loss and grief. The program and newly published book will focus on the newest theories and practices in this area, and as always will combine academic research with hands-on ideas for use in hospice support groups and other settings.
The date of the 2008 teleconference will be announced in our June e-newsletter.
Living With Grief: Before and After the Death
One of the most requested resources from HFA's recent teleconference was information about the Memory Bears, teddy bears made for grieving families from an article of their loved one's clothing. Robin Fiorelli and Lorraine Hedkte from VITAS Innovative Health Care, who oversee this wonderful project, have graciously shared some information for organizations who many be interested in starting a similar program.
The full-length DVD of the 2007 program is now available! The one-hour edited DVD will be available after July 1st. Order these helpful educational tools here.
Upcoming Conferences and Educational Opportunities
The 11th Annual National Symposium on Children's Grief Support will be held June 21-23 at the Children's Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham, AL. The Symposium is a national forum for those who serve grieving children and families to offer educational resources and networking opportunities. Register by May 18 to receive the Early Bird Registration price.
This newsletter is sent to more than 6,600 subscribers 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 interest colleague or friend. To subscribe, go to HFA's E-Newsletter sign-up page.
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This newsletter is published by Hospice
Foundation of America
David Abrams, President/CEO
http://www.hospicefoundation.org/
Board of Directors: Thomas E. Bryant, MD, JD; Myra MacPherson; Priscilla Perry; Patricia Spulak; Thomas
Spulak
©
Hospice Foundation of America 2007
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