Save on 2017 Webinar Packages

NHPCO Webinars bring you and your staff expert guidance from nationally recognized authorities on important topics of the day — at rates as low as $67 per Webinar. Order your 2017 webinar package by 12/31/2016 in order to take advantage of the early-bird package pricing. 

Two Webinars are offered each month — with one focusing on an interdisciplinary topic and the other on a quality or regulatory topic. The topics are generated and vetted by your peers so you can be assured that the content is relevant to the field. The annual calendar is developed with input from several NHPCO Committees as well as from the Educational Needs Assessment Survey. The calendar of 2017 Webinars is available online.

New this year, a MP4 recording will be included with your Webinar purchase giving you the opportunity for staff to listen to the valuable discussions after the original presentation (CE/CME is only available for participation in the live Webinar broadcast and not for those who listen to the MP4).

Member Rates for Webinars that include MP4s

• 24-Webinar Package:  $1,625 if you order by 12/31/16; $1,829 afterwards.
• 12-Webinar Package:  $865 if you order by 12/31/16; $975 afterwards.
• 6-Webinar Package:  $460 if you order by 12/31/16; $515 afterwards.
• Single Webinars:  $85 if you order by 12/31/16; $95 afterwards.

For Webinar details or to register, visit nhpco.org/webinar. Or download our 2017 Webinar Early Bird Order Form – but you must get it in by December 31, 2016 to get the early bird savings.

 

This Thanksgiving Talk about the Care You Would Want

A family is gathered by the bedside of a loved one who has been seriously ill, and now is likely near the end of life. Each member of the family has a different idea of what should be done and what their loved one would have wanted. That’s the point when they realize they should have planned ahead and talked about what they each would want in a medical crisis.

Heartbreaking scenes like this happen far too often.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is encouraging families to spend time when they may be gathered for the holidays, to talk about the care they would or would not want. This is particularly important if a family is coping with a serious or life-limiting illness of a loved one.

Having discussions about one’s health care wishes is part of advance care planning.

Advance care planning involves making decisions about the care you would want to receive in a medical crisis that might be the result of a serious illness or an unexpected accident.  Advance care planning also involves deciding who will speak for you if you are not able to speak for yourself. An essential part of advance care planning involves having these important conversations with your loved ones.

Advance care planning also includes:
•    Deciding what types of treatment you would or would not want should you be diagnosed with a life-limiting illness or faced with a serious medical crisis.
•    Sharing your personal values and beliefs with your loved ones.
•     Completing an advance directive to put into writing what types of treatment you would or would not want.
•     Designating a person as your health care power of attorney (sometimes called a health care proxy) to speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself.

NHPCO’s CaringInfo.org offers free state-specific advance directive forms and free information to help families talk about the care they would want. Visit caringinfo.org/planningahead.

Watch NHPCO's video on advance care planning.

Post-Election Recap from NHPCO

Hear from the leaders of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's Health Policy Team, Jon Keyserling and Sharon Scribner Pearce, on their takeaways from this election.  They discuss some of the outcomes of the election, what we might expect in the first 100 days and offer insight and advice for the hospice and palliative care community.

A major point to emphasize is that hospice and palliative care benefit from support on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill and end-of-life care had not been an issue of debate during the election campaign season.

Listen to the Special Election Podcast.

Other NHPCO Podcasts look at a number of relevant regulatory and compliance issues that are important for hospice providers. Listen to these podcasts via itunes, GooglePlay and Stitcher. Or find them on the NHPCO website at www.nhpco.org/podcast.

Hospice Volunteers Honored for Outstanding Service

NHPCO recognized five outstanding volunteers at the organization’s event, The Intensives, hosted in Hollywood, Florida, October 31 through November 2. The Volunteers are the Foundation of Hospice Awards were created by NHPCO’s National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals to recognize hospice volunteers who best reflect the universal concept of volunteerism in its truest sense—serving as an inspiration to others.

Chosen from more than 200 nominations, this year’s dedicated honorees were:

Clyde Day, a volunteer with Peterson Hospice in Kerrville, Texas, honored for organization support. In 1984, Clyde worked with other community members to donate their time and raise money to start Heart of the Hills Hospice in Kerrville. He helped negotiated the agreement between Peterson Memorial Hospital and the Hills Hospice which was the beginning of Peterson Hospice where he currently volunteers. Day’s service has included visiting patients, delivering flowers, sweeping floors, building shelves in the Thrift Store, as well as serving on the Board.

Karen Jackson, a volunteer with Suncoast Hospice / Empath Health in Clearwater, Florida, was honored for Specialized Volunteer Service primarily for her work with the hospice’s perinatal loss doula program for which she has served since it began in 2004. With more than 1,600 hours of service, she has often served as the “voice” of the program, playing an instrumental role in public speaking events, attending advisory board meetings, and presenting the program at local and national events and conferences.

Ryan Regan, a young volunteer with Suncoast Hospice / Empath Health in Clearwater, Florida, was recognized for his contributions to the hospice’s Teen Volunteer Program. Since January 2014 he has contributed more than 1,000 volunteer service hours in support of more than 240 families. Regan was selected to serve as one of six members of the Suncoast Hospice Teen Volunteer Regional Leadership Board/North County. He is active in the recruitment of teen volunteers and serves as a mentor to young people coming into the volunteer program.

Colonel Patsy Thompson, a volunteer with Sutter Care at Home Hospice in Roseville, California, was honored for Specialized Volunteer Service. In her twentieth year of volunteering for the hospice, she began by visiting patients with her spouse and their dog Pretzel. Now, Thompson has taken the lead of the “We Honor Our Veterans” ceremony program where she has been honored by the community and continues to serve with gusto.

Ingrid Watt, another volunteer with Suncoast Hospice / Empath Health in Clearwater, was recognized in the Patient and Family Support category.  She began her volunteer journey with Suncoast Hospice in 1993 and has provided over 2,900 hours of service in caregiver relief, transportation, Transitions Companion visits, and bereavement support for patients and their families. Through her volunteer work, she has become a Reiki Master and uses this therapeutic technique in her work with patients.

“Volunteers play an integral role in hospice care and each and every one deserves recognition and the highest accolades.  From direct patient support and caregiver relief to board service and community outreach and education,  hospice volunteers selflessly give of their time to serve patients and families who are facing end-of-life challenges and are integral to the hospice programs for which they serve,” said J. Donald Schumacher, NHPCO president and CEO.

The awards were presented by NCHPP Chair Rex Allen and NCHPP Vice-Chair Sandi Huster who also serves as the section leader for the Volunteer/Volunteer Management Section.

L to R: Rex Allen, award recipient Ingrid Watt with Kathy Robel of Suncoast Hospice/Empath Health, and Sandi Huster.

Lyle's Hawaiian Dream

Dream Foundation Provides Trip of a Lifetime to Young Man with Advanced Illness

Te National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization released a new video today as part of the “Moments of Life: Made Possible by Hospice” public awareness campaign.  The video features Lyle Romans, a 21 year-old with terminal lung disease and dermatomyositis.  “Lyle’s Hawaiian Dream” shows Lyle and his foster family on a journey from his home in Oregon to the beautiful beaches of Waikiki, Hawaii.  His trip was made possible by Dream Foundation, the only national dream-granting organization for terminally-ill adults. 

Lyle, who has lived with the Dobbs family since he was 18 years-old, was an active teenager.  In his senior year, he was diagnosed with lung disease and since then his health has continued to decline.  He has lost 80% of his lungs due to scarring and cysts. He no longer has the ability to walk or move his neck and he is losing his sight.  Lyle’s dream was to go to Hawaii to see and experience the natural beauty of the islands before his sight was completely gone. Dream Foundation stepped in to make Lyle’s Dream of a Hawaiian vacation a reality.   Lyle and his family visited the island of Oahu in June.  

In the video, Lyle can be seen enjoying the sights of Oahu including the famous Halona Blowhole and Sea Life Park Hawaii.  Palliative care helped stabilize Lyle enough to be at home with his family and strong enough to enjoy this trip.  

Lyle’s video is part of the “Moments of Life” public awareness campaign launched by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in 2014.  The campaign features stories from hospices and palliative care programs across the United States of patients and families experiencing hospice and palliative care first hand.   The “Moments of Life” website has information available on palliative care.