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April 2008
Welcome to Connections. The current edition of Connections and archives of previous editions are located at www.caringinfo.org under the 'community' tab. Please forward this e-newsletter to your staff, coalition members and other organizational partners using the 'forward a friend' prompt at the bottom.
National Volunteer Week is April 27-May 3. Caring Connections applauds the contributions of all volunteers during National Volunteer Week 2008!
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National Healthcare Decisions Day 2008—Thank You and Congratulations... Thanks to the support of NHDD partners, the first National Healthcare Decisions Day was a resounding success. April 16th's event exceeded all expectations with more than 450 organizations participating. Organizations in all 50 states planned more than 350 events to help people start conversations about their future healthcare wishes and complete advance directives. The initiative was mentioned in thousands of online publications throughout the campaign. In addition, ten states enacted proclamations to officially recognize National Healthcare Decisions Day. If you participated, please submit an evaluation of your 2008 event! You can do so by visiting www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org. Please continue to check the NHDD Web site for updates and to start plans for next year's event scheduled for April 16, 2009!National Nurses Week... is May 6– 12. National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.2008's theme is Nurses; Making a Difference Every Day. The American Nurses Association has created a media kit for this week of recognition that includes facts, tips and sample media templates. To join in this national celebration or to view the media kit, visit ANA's website.
NPCRC Awards $770,000 in Palliative Care Research Grants...The National Palliative Care Research Center has announced the recipients of $770,000 in research grants for studies aimed at improving quality of life and eliminating suffering for seriously ill patients and their family caregivers. The NPCRC, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, has directed over $3 million towards supporting palliative care research over the past 2 years. "The research supported by the NPCRC will help create the knowledge base to ensure that all adults and children with serious illness and their loved ones will be able to live a normal life for as long as possible" stated Stephen Schwartz, President of the Brookdale Foundations and a major investor in the Center. Further details about NPCRC 2008 Grantees and research projects are posted online at NPCRC's Web site.
National Nursing Home Week... is May 11– 17. The American Health Care Association established this week-long celebration in 1967. 2008's theme is Love is Ageless. AHCA offers a planning guide that suggests activities to foster intergenerational relationships, collect and preserve patient's reminiscences, strengthen relationships with family members, celebrate quality, and recognize all staff members who demonstrate excellent care giving. For more information or for a copy of the planning guide, visit AHCA's website.
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Caring Connections has New Palliative Care Resources... geared towards healthcare professionals and consumers! "Information and Resources for Healthcare Professionals" is a one page flyer that outlines what palliative care is and when a patient should be referred. "How Can Palliative Care Help Me?" is a one page flyer for consumers that answers basic questions about palliative care, including coverage and the benefits. To order a sample copy, call the HelpLine at 800/658-8898 or email caringinfo@nhpco.org. To view them online, visit http://www.caringinfo.org/resouces/brochures.htm.
"One Size Does Not Fit All"... The Joint Commission's Hospitals, Language, and Culture (HLC) study is issuing a new research report, One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations. This report provides a framework to help organizations meet the challenges of providing safe, quality care to culturally and/or linguistically diverse patients. Though the report is based on the findings from an in-depth study of hospitals, all types of health care organizations can use this framework to take an in-depth look at their current practices and guide efforts to address the cultural and language needs of the populations they serve. To download a free copy of One Size Does Not Fit All: Meeting the Health Care Needs of Diverse Populations, please visit www.jointcommission.org/PatientSafety/HLC/.
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'End-of-Life Issues in the Workplace' Audio Web Seminar... Learn how toimprove your outreach capacity to businesses and other workplace settings – attend NHPCO's Audio Web Seminar on "End-of-life Issues in the Workplace," May 27, 2-3:30 pm ET.This seminar will offer specific strategies and practical tools to assist you in supporting and preparing - employers and employees - for the impact of end-of-life issues in the workplace such as caregiving, serious illness, advance care planning or grief. For information about NHPCO's Audio Web Seminars or to register, visit NHPCO's website.
Expand your frontiers... submit a proposal to present at the largest interdisciplinary conference focused on hospice and palliative care! The Call for Proposals for NHPCO's 9th Clinical Team Conference, Scientific Symposium and Facility-Based Hospice Forum and Pediatric Intensive in Dallas, TX is open through May 14, 2008. The conference, which will be held in Dallas, TX, on October 23-25, 2008, promises to challenge providers and professionals to forge new frontiers in creating, expanding and improving care for patients and families at the end of life. NCHPP section members are strongly encouraged to submit a proposal. Each primary presenter of a session selected to present from the Call for Presentations will receive a 25% discount on the conference registration fee. Don't wait until the last minute - submit your proposal online today!
Family Caregiver Alliance Offers Free Telecaregiving Workshops Online... Family Caregiver Alliance now offers an online audio archive of their popular TeleCaregiving(sm) Series. These programs can be a helpful part of any hospice's caregiver education efforts. Caregivers will learn practical care skills from expert instructors without leaving the comfort or convenience of their home or office. Workshops are available on these and other topics: Caring Together! Sharing Caregiving Responsibilities with Siblings and other Family Members, Here but Not Here-Finding Hope When Your Loved One Has Memory Loss, Keeping Away the Caregiver Blues and Understanding Difficult Dementia Behaviors. Each title in the archive is available free, 24 hours a day. Access the The TeleCaregiving(sm) Audio Workshop Archives on the FCA Web site.
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Pediatric Community Alliance... is a newly established state-wide pediatric coalition in North Carolina. The coalition recently signed up as a new partner for the Partnering For Children Campaign, and used the 'Call to Action' DVD featuring Melissa Gilbert, in a meeting with Senator Linda Garrou to make her aware of pediatric policy issues. To receive your own copy of the DVD, sign your organization up as a partner of the campaign at www.partneringforchildren.org.
If you have community engagement resources or updates that you would like to include in "Connections," please contact Helen Ennis.
Please do not "Reply" to this email as it is an automated message.
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