Each year Hospice of Hancock County provides those in the community the opportunity to further explore end-of-life care, death, dying and bereavement. Workshops and seminars are ways for the community to come together and learn from each other.


Examples of other Hospice of Hancock County community education offerings include:

 

Annual Hospice Foundation of America National Teleconference
Wednesday, April 16, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Ellsworth Living With Grief: Children and Adolescents Panel Discussions with Local and National Contributors. Lunch provided.

 

LIVING WELL Using Expressive Arts: Support for the Dying, Grieving and Renewal Process.

 		 

Facilitators: Dr. Anne Black and Ms. Penelope Simpson, NCC, LCMHC, of The HEALS (Healing Expressive Arts Loss Support) Program, and The Center for Creative Healing, in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Expressive Arts ~ Professional Development ~  Experiential Learning Exercises

For:

  • Medical professionals
  • Family caregivers
  • Hospice volunteers
  • Anyone supporting individuals living at the end of life
  • Those Grieving

Continuing education credit will be available. Tuition for the two-day conference is $125 if registered by July 23rd; $150 after July 23rd. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call Hospice of Hancock County at 207-667-2531

 

 

Compassion: The Healing Power of Life and Death
(Four sessions of discussion and learning for caregivers)

This four-week program about various aspects of end-of-life care giving can be arranged for community groups and has been particularly popular with church groups and teams of medical service providers. The program enables people in the community to offer stronger support to family and friends. It is specifically for those who are caring for ill or elderly family members or friends, members of the community who want to offer more care to others, and anyone who wishes to learn more about end of life issues and planning, and enhance their caregiving skills.

Week 1—Beginning the conversation about end of life issues
Week 2—Family dynamics and communication during illness
Week 3—Practical end of life bedside caregiving skills
Week 4—Bereavement resources, memorials and celebrations of life

For more information, please call 667-2531.

Some recent participants in a Compassionate Caregiving program had this to say about their experience: “This program helped us learn and know that we can come to the support of not only family members but neighbors during the truly difficult times. It also helped us realize the importance of a supportive community to companion each other.”
 

Caring for People with Dementia

This caregiving workshop offered insight and skills-enhancement for hospice volunteers, professional staff, family and community members who provide care for people with various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s Disease. Guest presenter was Jan Halloran from the Best Friends Training Program with the Maine Alzheimer’s Project. The program included in-depth information about dementia care and a practice session addressing case studies.  
 

Hospice Veterans Partnership of Maine: 
It’s About Living Well to the End    

Questions considered by our panel of experts in this program included:  

What are your end-of-life benefits? What is palliative care?  How can we improve your access to care? How do VA & community agencies work together for you? What kind of care do community hospice agencies provide? How much does end-of-life care cost & who pays for it?  

The Hospice Veterans Partnership of Maine is a coalition of people from Department of Veterans Affairs & community organizations working together to ensure that excellent end-of-life care is available for veterans and families & to establish an enduring network of hospice and VA professionals, veterans, and volunteers working together to provide quality service.