Professional teleconference offered LIVE March 2 from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm on Living with Grief Since COVID-19

THE BOB & MERLE SCOLNIK HEALING CENTER OF HARBOR HOSPICE PRESENTS HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA’S ANNUAL NATIONAL LIVING WITH GRIEF® PROGRAM

Each year the Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) presents a nationally recognized, award-winning distance learning program to more than 125,000 people in 2,000 communities. For more than a decade, HFA’s educational events, have been instrumental in educating healthcare professionals and families on issues affecting end-of life care.

The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to an unprecedented level of loss since March 2020. Non-death losses as well as deaths both due to and unrelated to COVID-19 have shattered the assumptive world, the view that the world is reasonably safe, benevolent, and predictable, and have created a sense of collective trauma and grief. As of mid-January 2021 over 400,000 people had died in the U.S. due to COVID-19 (CDC) and the number continues to rise. A recent study has found that approximately nine people are impacted by a single COVID-19 death (Verdery, 2020). Combined with other causes of death (which have also increased during this period) and mounting non-death losses such as isolation, employment, routine, and sense of safety, those experiencing grief in the U.S. alone is conservatively in the millions.

Expert panelists will help professionals effectively respond to the onslaught of pandemic-related grief and bereavement needs in their communities and equip them with tools to support counseling, treatment, stabilization, and posttraumatic growth. Acknowledging that healthcare and grief professionals are coping with their own losses and the exposure to trauma related to the pandemic, this program will address ways to empower professionals to employ self-care techniques and suggest ways that employers can help. Finally, recognition of the grief and bereavement challenges the pandemic has posed will enable professionals to better support those who need help with their grief, reflect upon and safeguard their own mental health and wellbeing, and identify opportunities for improvement in grief support.

Program will be presented at no cost, LIVE through a Zoom link on March 2, 2021 from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. The link will be emailed to those that register online the morning of March 2.

2 hours of continuing education (CE) is available. Information about obtaining CEs will be available during the webinar. Available CEs include nurses, social workers, counselors, funeral directors, clergy, CNAs and more. Please verify CE availability with your professional or state board approval and/or refer to HFA’s list of Board Approvals located at www.hospicefoundation.org.

For more information, follow the Event on Facebook at @ScolnikHealingCenter or call Beth Bolthouse at 231.873.0359

Harbor Hospice, serving Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Ottawa, and Newaygo counties.