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HFA Press Releases - 2002

Hospice Foundation of America is a non-profit, grassroots foundation dedicated to providing leadership in the application of hospice principles, informing the public about end-of-life care, and training healthcare workers and the families they serve in issues related to loss.

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For Immediate Release
December 3, 2002

NEW CLERGY END-OF-LIFE ENHANCEMENT PROJECT

Hospice Foundation of America, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Health Council of South Florida collaborate on statewide pilot program

HFA - Miami, FL: When faced with a terminal diagnosis, most patients and their families find themselves overwhelmed by not only the medical demands but the emotional and spiritual stresses as well. The Florida Legislature, recognizing the vital role clergy play in counseling families facing critical end-of-life decisions, has authorized funding for the Clergy End-of Life Enhancement Project. 

This statewide, nondenominational pilot program is sponsored by the State of Florida, Department of Elder Affairs, Hospice Foundation of America and the Health Council of South Florida. The Clergy End-of-Life Enhancement Project will provide members of the clergy with accurate and comprehensive information regarding the array of services and options available to the terminally ill and those caring for them. When a patient reaches the point where cure is no longer possible, the choices made by many families are often based on inadequate or misinformation. Communication between patients and their medical professionals is also a challenge for many. Painful, costly and unnecessary treatments often result. 

Members of the clergy are often called upon to minister to the dying and their families, to offer guidance and support in times of serious illness, trauma and loss. Yet few clergy receive formal training regarding the myriad of choices the terminally ill are forced to make. A higher level of awareness and understanding surrounding end-of-life options among clergy will lead to a greater understanding of the choices available to the terminally ill, choices such as hospice and palliative care. This project will ultimately help the dying and their families gain better control over one of the most challenging situations they will ever face.

"We hear stories every week of people who don't know about hospice or learn about it only when their loved ones are on the brink of death. They were unable to experience the full benefits of what hospice has to offer the entire family. Many deeply regret that they had not been referred to hospice earlier," commented David Abrams, president of Hospice Foundation of America.

A report just released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Last Acts Project, a coalition to improve care for the dying, examined end-of-life care in the U.S. on a state-by-state basis. The report described care in this country as mediocre, at best. While 70% of Americans said they would want to die at home, only 25% of them do. Half of all deaths occur in hospitals where patients often find poor pain control and a lack of specialized end-of-life services. The report stated that, "Much more must be done to make dying a more compassionate and caring experience, both for the patient and the family, in America." NOTE: The Last Acts Campaign has ended.

Hospice, a home-based concept of care that focuses on comfort and quality of life, has long known the importance of emotional, social and spiritual support, for the patient and family. Hospice and other forms of hospital-based palliative care are two examples of care options that many people are unaware of. Yet this type of care would allow them to die with a sense of control, surrounded by love, dignity and compassion. The important role that the clergy plays as they provide counsel and guidance to their communities enables them to be ideal advocates for better end-of-life care.

Hospice Foundation of America and the Health Council of South Florida, along with its affiliate sister agencies, will conduct educational sessions focusing on end-of-life care options and provide insight into death and dying. Clergy who participate will gain an understanding of the choices available to the dying and will be better equipped to offer emotional and spiritual support. Support that will benefit the dying, their loved ones and their entire faith community. A greater understanding of the ways grief and bereavement affect our lives will further enhance their ministry of care. Created expressly for the clergy, the Clergy End-of-Life Enhancement Project will be available in the following areas of the State of Florida: Hillsborough and Pinellas, Orange, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Leon and Lee Counties.

Hospice Foundation of America has been working on behalf of hospice for more than twenty years and is well suited to bring its knowledge to the Clergy End-of-Life Enhancement Project. The Health Council of South Florida, a private, non-profit planning agency for the communities of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, engages in research, planning, advocacy, education and program administration. Working together, these two organizations bring a wealth of experience that will ultimately provide the citizens of Florida with better end-of-life care.

For additional information:

Contact: David Abrams, President
Hospice Foundation of America
Phone: 305-981-2522
e-mail: dabrams@hospicefoundation.org 

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Program Assistant
1-800-854-3402

For Immediate Release:
November 26, 2002

HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES CREATION OF 
HOSPICE COLLEGE OF AMERICA

Organizations will Partner to Offer Professional Educational Opportunities

Washington, DC: Hospice Foundation of America announces the creation of a newly organized subsidiary, Hospice College of America. HCA, a registered 501 3(c), will collaborate with HFA to offer expanded opportunities for professional development to those interested in health care issues at the end-of-life. 

HFA's contributions to the field of professional education are most notably represented by the Living With Grief® educational series. The heart of this series is the annual National Bereavement Teleconference, a live-via-satellite broadcast hosted in more than 2,000 communities across North America. While a relatively unusual approach to health care education when the first teleconference aired in 1994, the broadcast now reaches a live audience of 125,000 participants each year. More than 128,000 contact hours of continuing education have been provided to a wide range of professionals during the ten year history of this program. 

Each year's broadcast is developed in conjunction with a companion textbook. Featuring a collection of articles by many noted authorities and clinicians in the field of loss and bereavement, the Living With Grief textbook series has become a valuable resource found in the libraries of many organizations and professionals across the country. 

"Hospice College of America will allow us to develop new, innovative educational offerings that will be of as high a quality as other foundation programs," commented David Abrams, HFA president. "Over the next few months we will announce further plans for Hospice College of America and we look forward to exploring ways to create educational opportunities based on current thinking in the field."

The HCA Web site, www.hospicecollegeofamerica.org, contains information about the new organization, including a list of home study courses developed from HFA's Living With Grief® teleconference series. Links back to HFA Web site resources are also featured.

Approved for three (3) contact hours of continuing education, each of the home study courses available from HCA contain a videotape of HFA's annual teleconference broadcast and a copy of the companion Living With Grief textbook. These courses are approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC Provider #5729), the Florida Board of Nursing (Provider # FBN 2883), the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider #CEP 11786), the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, MFT, and Mental Health Counseling (Provider #BAP 240), the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (Provider #PCE 687), and the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners (registered sponsor #CS 1984). Credit is awarded through Hospice Foundation of America.

Available home study courses include: 

  • Living With Grief: Loss in Later Life explores the range of losses found in later life and discusses ways that professionals can more effectively serve those coping with loss. 

  • Caregiving and Loss: Family Needs, Professional Responses examines the ways that health care and other professionals can better understand and support family caregivers.

  • Living With Grief: Children, Adolescents and Loss looks at the variety of losses young people are likely to experience and offers techniques that can be used to assist them in coping with loss.

  • Living With Grief: At Work, At School, At Worship discusses how grief influences us in our day-to-day surroundings and offers interventions that workplaces, schools and faith communities can use in assisting those struggling with loss. 

  • Living With Grief: Who We Are, How We Grieve offers insight into the ways that culture, spirituality, age and gender affect the grieving process and how we experience loss.

  • Living With Grief: When Illness is Prolonged examines the specific relevance that a long-term illness can have on the grieving process, both before and after death.

  • Living With Grief: After Sudden Loss discusses the intense and complicated reactions surrounding sudden death and the losses associated with accidents, suicide, homicide, heart attack and stroke.

For more information on HCA and currently available home study courses, please contact Program Assistant at 1-800-854-3402.

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Program Assistant
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For Immediate Release:
November 5, 2002

Hospice Foundation of America Offers Advice for Those Struggling with Grief During the Holidays

Washington, DC: For many people, the holidays are a joyous period marked by festive celebrations, a time spent with family and friends, a time to look ahead with excitement to the coming new year. Yet for those struggling with the death of a loved one, the holidays are a difficult time full of painful reminders that may magnify their sense of loss.

Hospice Foundation of America publishes a special Holiday Issue of its bereavement newsletter, Journeys. This special issue contains four articles offering practical advice and support to those coping with loss during the holidays.

Articles offering support include, “3 C’s of Coping With the Holidays,” by Doka, which discusses the importance of choice, communication, and compromise. Ellen Zinner’s article, “Helpful Holiday Hints,” offers some simple suggestions for coping, and Rev. Paul Irion writes about the spiritual value of reminiscing at holiday celebrations.

“Each year we receive many requests for information to help those during the holidays who are feeling overwhelmed by the season,” commented Jack D. Gordon, HFA Chairman & CEO. “People are often very uncomfortable focusing on their grief at what is supposed to be such a happy time, so the feelings of loss they are experiencing tend to be intensified.” Journeys is a way to offer insight and support to those in need. [Note: Mr. Gordon served as Chairman and CEO of HFA until his death in 2005.]

Used by many professionals to help the grieving families with whom they work, Journeys, is a monthly bereavement newsletter designed to assist those who are coping with the death of a loved one.

To receive a complimentary copy of the Journeys Holiday Issue, contact HFA at 1-800-854-3402 or send a self-addressed, stamped #10 envelope to:

HFA – Holiday Journeys, 1621 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009

To read more about HFA’s bereavement newsletter, Journeys, please click here.

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Program Assistant
Communications and Public Relations Manager
1-800-854-3402

For Immediate Release:
September 23, 2002

REGISTRATION UNDERWAY FOR HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA'S 
10TH ANNUAL LIVING WITH GRIEF® TELECONFERENCE

"LIVING WITH GRIEF: COPING WITH PUBLIC TRAGEDY"

Washington, DC: Registration has begun for Hospice Foundation of America's annual bereavement teleconference. Living With Grief: Coping With Public Tragedy will be broadcast live-via-satellite on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 from 1:30pm to 4:00pm EDT. This televised program will look at factors that define a public tragedy and offer insight and advice to organizations and professionals as they support their communities and help those coping with loss. 

Events such as 9-11, Hurricane Andrew, Oklahoma City and Columbine have deeply touched the lives of people around the world. Significant losses have been felt both on a national level and in a deeply personal way. The teleconference will focus in on some of the responses that have enabled people across the nation to survive-and continue to cope with these tragedies.

Cokie Roberts, ABC News correspondent, will once again serve as moderator for this award-winning teleconference that is hosted each year by more than 2,000 organizations across North America. Over the ten-year history of the broadcast, community partnerships have evolved, professional networks have developed and discussions surrounding loss and bereavement have led to a greater understanding of the ways grief affects our lives.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for caring organizations across the country to present a program that will resonate strongly with diverse communities because the theme is so universal," commented Jack D. Gordon, Chairman of the Hospice Foundation of America. "Of particular interest will be police, firefighters, rescue and emergency service personnel, hospital ER staffs, schools and others who will benefit from a better understanding of the ways public tragedies can affect those they serve." [Note: Mr. Gordon served as Chairman and CEO of HFA until his death in 2005.]

The panel will include Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, MDiv, bereavement consultant to HFA and professor of gerontology at the College of New Rochelle; LaVone Hazell, MS, certified family therapist and New York State licensed funeral director; Marcia Lattanzi-Licht, MA, RN, LPC, psychotherapist, educator and author; Nadine Reimer Penner, ACSW, LSCSW, director of long-term care for Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice; and Marlene A. Young, PhD, JD, executive director of the National Organization for Victim Assistance. 

The teleconference is produced by Hospice Foundation of America, a non-profit organization that works to educate healthcare professionals and the families they serve in issues relating to terminal illness, grief and bereavement. The program is sponsored in part by a grant from Last Acts and the Foundation for End of Life Care and in cooperation with the Adventist Communication Network, Association for Death Education and Counseling, Project on Death in America and The Compassionate Friends.

Three hours of continuing education credit are available for a wide range of professionals including nurses, physicians, social workers, counselors, psychologists, nursing home administrators, EMS personnel, funeral directors, clergy and employee assistance professionals.

For more information on hosting a teleconference site for your organization or community, or to find out about existing teleconference sites, please contact Hospice Foundation of America at 1-800-854-3402. To access additional information and an online registration form, please click here. 

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Jack D. Gordon, Chairman and CEO, Hospice Foundation of America
1621 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009
1-800-854-3402, www.hospicefoundation.org

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Program Assistant
1-800-854-3402

For Immediate Release:
August 28, 2002

HFA PROVIDES NEW ONLINE INFORMATION
TO HELP THOSE COPING WITH GRIEF AND LOSS

Washington, DC: Hospice Foundation of America has created a new section on its web site focusing on Grief and Loss. Offering a collection of informative articles and related links, this online resource provides practical advice about dealing with grief. Whether an individual is struggling with his or her own grief or trying to help a family member or friend, HFA offers support and advice. 

While we often think of the grief associated with the death of a loved one, there are many other losses in our lives that cause us to grieve. As the nation collectively marks the first anniversary of 9-11, the attention of the country turns to the many losses resulting from the tragic events of that day. HFA has received numerous inquiries from people looking for information that will help them understand the effects of grief and tips for coping with the range of reactions that often result. 

The collection of articles covers a range of topics such as coping with sudden loss, helping a child, facing spiritual challenges and marking the anniversary of a loss. Contributing authors include many noted authorities in the field of loss and bereavement, including: Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, Rabbi Earl Grollman, Judy Tatelbaum, MSW, Ellen Zinner, PsyD and Nancy Boyd Web, DSW. 

HFA's web site visitors have the opportunity to share their personal stories regarding grief. Information about the bereavement newsletter, Journeys and a suggested reading list are also available.

Hospice has long been aware of the importance of grief counseling and bereavement services to the patients and families they serve and many local hospices serve as bereavement resource centers to their communities. Hospice Foundation of America produces a number of resources to help hospices, health care professionals and consumers understand and cope with loss. 

Access this useful information, click on the "Grief & Loss" prompt at the HFA home page. 

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Jack D. Gordon, Chairman & CEO
Hospice Foundation of America
1621 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009
1-800-854-3402, www.hospicefoundation.org

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Program Assistant
1-800-854-3402

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 21, 2002

WITH THE APPROACHING ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11th 
HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA REMINDS PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF GRIEF

Washington, DC: As the first anniversary of 9-11 approaches, the attention of the nation focuses on the losses and grief associated with that day. While our individual losses may vary, all of our lives have been touched by 9-11. We all grieve in a unique way and Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) would like to remind people to be aware of their grief and be sensitive to the feelings and needs of others as the nation marks this important anniversary. 

The anniversary of a significant loss can be a time for reflection. We look back on what we've been through, examining the ways we've managed to survive and cope with grief. It is also an opportunity to think about our hopes for the future and the realization that our lives will go on.

Be patient with yourself and those around you. And remember that each of us grieves differently. There is no timetable telling us how we should or should not feel after one year-a year is a relative thing when coping with loss.

"We believe that if we survive the first year everything will be much better. Then the year goes by and we don't feel all that different" commented Kenneth Doka, PhD, senior consultant to HFA. "Recognize that the anniversary of a loss is a difficult time. Often when we accept that fact, we do not feel as bad about feeling bad."

HFA offers some suggestions for those who are touched by this significant anniversary:

  • Do what helps you feel better. For some people that can be quiet time alone, for others it helps to keep busy and involved. 

  • Attending a memorial service, mass, unveiling or other dedication may offer support. 

  • Lighting a candle, writing a letter to a loved one or another simple task can help focus our grief. 

  • Sharing a quiet meal with family and friends can provide a sense of comfort. 

  • Lending an ear to a friend who wants to share his or her feelings can be helpful to you both.

HFA has a special "anniversary issue" of the bereavement newsletter, Journeys. This issue offers advice for coping with the grief that can often accompany an anniversary of a loss. For more information on Journeys or to request a sample of the Anniversary Issue, please click here or contact HFA at 1-800-854-3402.

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Program Assistant
1-800-854-3402

For Immediate Release:
June 19, 2002

A Video Resource to Accompany HFA’s Autobiographical Workbook
Hospice Foundation of America Releases Instructional Videotape

Washington, DC: Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) has released an instructional VHS videotape designed as a companion resource to its autobiographical workbook, A Guide To Recalling and Telling Your Life Story. This tool is designed to further assist those who wish to tell their life story.

Since the release of the current edition of A Guide To Recalling and Telling Your Life Story in 2000, Hospice Foundation of America has received an overwhelmingly positive response from those using the workbook. The book, divided into five chapters focusing on different stages of life, provides users with a series of questions and exercises that are entered directly into the book. The Guide not only offers support and guidance but it then becomes the finished product making the creation of one’s autobiography an achievable task.

The videotape companion to the Guide offers additional insight and practical suggestions for those who wish to tell their life story. This 20-minute videotape also contains personal reflections from hospice clients who have found great value in sharing their lives with those they love.

“Recording your life story is one of the most precious gifts you can leave your family and loved ones,” Jack Gordon, HFA Chairman & CEO, commented. “Your experiences, values and life lessons told in your own words will surely be a legacy future generations will treasure.” [Note: Mr. Gordon served as Chairman and CEO of HFA until his death in 2005.]

The award-winning Guide and the companion videotape were developed by Hospice Foundation of America and The Southeast Florida Center on Aging, Florida International University. Initially conceived as a resource for those who are seriously and terminally ill, the Guide has become a valuable tool that many people across the country have come to treasure.

This special videotape is available only through HFA and has been designed to help users of the Guide succeed in sharing the stories of their lives, truly a labor of love for their family and future generations. The video sells for only $10.00 and the Guide workbook for only $18.00. The two resources can be purchased as a set for only $25.00.

For more information about A Guide To Recalling and Telling Your Life Story please click here or call 1-800-854-3402 to request additional information and an order form.

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Program Assistant
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 9, 2002

REPORT ON HOSPICE MEDICAID EDUCATION PROJECT

Report Documenting Findings from Florida Project
Available from Hospice Foundation of America

Washington, DC: Hospice Foundation of America has released their report to the Florida Legislature documenting the findings from the Hospice Medicaid Education Project (HMEP). The HMEP was a pilot program of the 2001 Florida Legislature designed to educate Florida physicians who serve Medicaid patients facing terminal illness.

With the goal of increasing the usage of hospice among Medicaid patients with a life-threatening illness, the HMEP trained retired physicians as Peer Educators who then worked at the community level to inform practicing physicians about the benefits of hospice care. Expanded use of hospice will enhance the care and quality of life for patients and their families as well as effecting cost-saving treatments that translate into expenditure reductions in the state Medicaid program.

This pilot program focused on educating physicians about care options and services for terminally ill patients. Emphasis was placed in two areas: techniques to help medical professionals communicate with patients and payment and reimbursement mechanisms for treating this specific patient population.

The HMEP was a collaborative effort between Hospice Foundation of America and the Health Council of South Florida, Inc. The final report was sponsored by the State of Florida Department of Health. The information available through this project should assist in crafting statewide health policy that will promote hospice care for terminally ill persons and provide a greater understanding of the unique needs of the dying and their families.

Medicaid affects more than 40 million Americans across the country, this includes 1 in 5 children. With 40%-50% of all Federal dollars to states coming through Medicaid, a greater understanding of the ways healthcare services can best be utilized is vital as we provide care for our nation’s aging population.

This report is available at Hospice Foundation of America’s web site in PDF format. Access the full report.

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For More Information Contact:
David Abrams, President
Hospice Foundation of America
Phone:  (305) 538-3342
e-mail: dabrams@hospicefoundation.org

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Program Assistant
1-800-854-3402

April 10, 2002
For Immediate Release

Helping Older Persons Cope with Loss in Later Life 

Hospice Foundation of America's New Book Offers Advice to Professionals

Washington, DC: Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) announces the publication of Living With Grief: Loss in Later Life, the most recent addition to HFA's Living With Griefâ book series. This new publication offers insight into the challenges and opportunities that older persons face as they cope with the losses found in later life. Healthcare professionals and others concerned with the special needs of our aging population will find practical advice to help improve care and support surrounding loss and end-of-life choices.

In his foreword, Senator John Breaux, Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging writes, "I have had the unique opportunity to talk to older people, their families, end-of-life counselors, and health professionals from across the country about the profound impact that loss and grief have on older people and the generations that succeed them."

Jack Gordon, HFA Chairman & CEO, noted that, "Although hospice care is available to any terminally ill person, the vast majority of patients cared for by hospice are older persons. Any examination of the current demographic shifts in the United States suggests a phenomenal growth in the aging population. The subject of loss in later life, then, seemed an excellent choice to add to HFA's series on Living With Grief." [Note: Mr. Gordon served as Chairman and CEO of HFA until his death in 2005.]

Pulitzer Prize recipient, Robert Butler, MD, is one of the many highly regarded authorities in the field of aging who have contributed to Living With Grief: Loss in Later Life. Edited by Kenneth Doka, PhD, the book features 29 articles, personal essays, and programmatic examples addressing a wide range of topics relating to loss. 

This book has been developed in conjunction with HFA's annual Living With Griefâ teleconference, a live satellite broadcast that will be moderated by Cokie Roberts on April 24, 2002 and seen in more than 2,000 communities across North America. Past topics include caregiving and loss, children and loss, prolonged illness, sudden loss, cultural diversity and grief, and loss in schools and workplaces. 

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For more information about this book and HFA's teleconference, Living With Grief: Loss in Later Life,  visit HFA's web site at www.hospicefoundation.org or call 1-800-854-3402.

Jack D. Gordon, Chairman, Hospice Foundation of America
1621 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009

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Program Assistant
1-800-854-3402

February 25, 2002
For Immediate Release

HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA ANNUAL SATELLITE BROADCAST REACHES THE MOST DIVERSE AUDIENCE IN ITS HISTORY

"LIVING WITH GRIEF: LOSS IN LATER LIFE"

Hospice Foundation of America is working in cooperation with several satellite networks to expand the scope of the 9th annual Living With Griefâ video teleconference. Living With Grief: Loss in Later Life will be broadcast live-via-satellite on Wednesday, April 24, 2002 from 1:30pm to 4:00pm EDT and will reach an unprecedented live audience.

The teleconference will be seen in more than 2,000 communities throughout the United States and Canada.  The broadcast will also be televised in Barbados and seen as far south as Trinidad and Tobago.  U.S. Army and other military installations, numerous National Park facilities, housing authority offices nationwide, Area Agencies on Aging and a variety of public access channels will make this educational broadcast available in their communities.

Cokie Roberts, of ABC News, again will moderate this public-service program to be broadcast over C-Band and KU-Band satellites, two satellites readily accessible throughout North America.  In addition, the Adventist Communication Network, the National Guard Satellite System, the Health & Science Television Network, the Long Term Care Network and numerous local cable television stations will carry the program.  This enables Hospice Foundation of America to reach the most diverse audience in the history of this award-winning annual broadcast.  An estimated 150,000 people are expected to view the live educational program on April 24th.

Living With Grief: Loss in Later Life will examine the needs of our aging population and explore ways that professionals can more effectively assist those coping with the range of losses found in later life.  Guests to join Ms. Roberts include the noted gerontologist and Pulitzer Prize winning author, Robert Butler, MD.

For more information about the teleconference or to find an existing teleconference site in your community, go to the HFA web site at: www.hospicefoundation.org and click on the “find a teleconference” prompt, or contact HFA at 1-800-854-3402.

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Jack D. Gordon, Chairman and CEO, Hospice Foundation of America
1621 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009
1-800-854-3402, www.hospicefoundation.org

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