Hospice Foundation of America E-Newsletter - December 2001
Hospice Foundation of America E-Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 9
December 2001
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Message from David Abrams, President
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Happy Holidays from all of us at Hospice Foundation of America! May this holiday season be filled with peace and joy for you and those you love.
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Focus on: Grief in the Workplace
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A few months ago we discussed issues of culture and how who we are affects how we grieve. Bernice Catherine Harper, a long-time hospice advocate, once pointed out that the issue of where we grieve is also critical. For many of us, the workplace is an integral part of our lives, and it is inevitable that loss and grief will impact either our own life or that of a co-worker. The events of September 11, while personal tragedies for thousands of families, also had devastating impacts on a great number of workplaces.
Grief is not contained by time or place. Loved ones will grieve not only at home but also at work, school, or worship. How well organizations respond to grieving persons in their midst will either complicate or facilitate their grief. The sensitivity of persons within these environments, especially in leadership roles, as well as the flexibility and support of organizational policies, can therefore have profound effects on the course of the grieving experience. And the better the organizations respond, the more rapidly they can become completely focused on their missions, as work teams return to cohesiveness. Below are some links to learn more about helping employees deal with end-of-life issues, death, and grief.
The Workplace Task Force of the Last Acts Campaign develops programs to help employers and employees who are dealing with end-of-life caregiving issues. The Task Force will be hosting a Partner Call entitled "Managing End-of-Life Issues in the Workplace" on December 20. (please note: This call is available only to Last Acts Partners; information about becoming a Last Acts Partner is located through the Web link below.) [Note: This program has ended.]
John Stanley, a co-founder of the Gastonia, North Carolina Chapter of The Compassionate Friends, shares his personal experiences on "Facing Grief in the Workplace" after the death of his daughter.
For those who are professional caregivers, grief in
the workplace is an everyday reality.
Read "If I Am Not For Myself: Caring for Yourself as a
Caregiver for Those Who Grieve" by James E. Miller.
Hospice Foundation of America, with the help of Dr. Bill Lamers and Marcia Lattanzi-Licht, produced a brochure on "Living With Grief: At Work", which offers practical suggestions for supervisors and employees to prepare for and deal with grief and loss in the workplace. Read more about it and order a complimentary copy.
Many hospices offer excellent training programs on these issues for local employers and other community organizations. HFA has an extensive resource list of national organizations that can be useful for Human Resource Managers and Employee Assistance Professionals looking for more information.
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What's New@HFA
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The holidays can be especially difficult times for those who are grieving. A special section of our Web site, "Grief During the Holidays: Advice from HFA" contains information and resources for both professionals and laypeople.
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Site Coordinator's Corner
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Thanks to the more than 500 sites across the country who have already signed up for the 2002 National Bereavement Teleconference! Don't forget - the deadline for Early Registration is December 28. Registration is available online.
If you have questions or concerns about your registration, please call us at 800-854-3402 or send an email to telecon@hospicefoundation.org.
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This newsletter is sent to more than 6,000 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
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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 2001
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