Every day, people in our community make decisions during a health crisis, burdened by a desire to do right by their loved one while not knowing exactly what that would be. Life altering medical choices or dealing with loss are not popular topics of discussion around the dinner table.
Normalizing that conversation is the reason behind the revolutionary idea of offering a free day of learning to anyone in the community who wants to be more informed and better prepared in the event of serious illness or loss. The Caring for the Continuum of Life: A 2018 Healthcare Symposium will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 3 at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland.
Hosted by the Chesapeake Life Center, Hospice of the Chesapeake and Chesapeake Palliative Medicine, the symposium will address topics in three educational tracks as well as provide opening and closing speakers.
The first track, Community and Caregivers, offers four learning sessions that support the role of caregivers regarding accessing care for an aging parent, planning a legacy, self-care and helping children cope with the grief of losing someone dear.
A second track for healthcare professionals focuses on enhancing their understanding of end-of-life choices and the impact on families. Topics range from exploring grief in older adults to how to create a dignified dialogue with patients.
The third track seeks to educate both professionals and community member on subject matter unique to the hospice and palliative care specialty, including the role of faith in end of life, the importance of documenting your healthcare decisions, navigating traumatic grief and caring for veterans at the end of life.
The closing session includes a Q&A session with local physicians to answer questions about making critical choices while living with advanced illness.
With the support of community partners, the goal is to offer this educational symposium 100-percent free of charge to attendees as a part of the ongoing commitment to those we serve.
The all-day event is free and includes free breakfast and lunch and up to five continuing education credits for social workers licensed in the state of Maryland. To register, visit www.caringforlifemd.org .
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Chris Wilson at 443-837-1530 or cwilson@hospicechesapeake.org.
