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1 in 4 Medicare hospice patients is a military veteran.  Frederick Health Hospice is going the extra mile to meet the unique needs of veterans at the end of life.  While Frederick focuses on care, comfort, and hope, they also focus on the needs of U.S. veterans in their community.  Executive director Carlos Graveran, a veteran himself,  created a Hospice Veteran Liaison position to provide more robust care for military veterans in the Maryland community. Army Veteran Eric Jorgensen serves in the Hospice Liaison position. As veterans, both Carlos and Eric understand the importance of recognizing the experiences of the patients and the needs of their caregivers.  According to the Frederick Health Hospice website, the agency provides: Providing information about state and VA benefits such as Aid and Attendance, pensions, cemeteries, monuments and military honors Assistance in obtaining discharge documents, records, medals and awards Recognition ceremony that includes presentation of a certificate of appreciation and veteran pin Visits from veteran volunteers The Veteran Liaison is critical in educating the hospice interdisciplinary team about the specific issues a veteran might be dealing with, including guilt, anger, PTSD, regret, and survivor’s guilt.  With 25% of all Medicare hospice patients being military veterans, knowing how to provide compassionate and respectful care should be top priority for all hospice agencies in the U.S.  Connect with Frederick health Hospice at frederickhealthhospice.org. Learn more about the We Honor Veterans program from NHPCO at wehonorveterans.org. Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Follow The Heart of Hospice on Facebook,  Instagram, and LinkedIn.  Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiving podcasts by clicking here.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart ofHospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)    

Soaring Spirits International is built by widowed people to support widowed people. Michele Neff Hernandez built the non-profit organization she needed when her husband died unexpectedly, leaving her with a blended family of six kids to care for as she managed her own grief. Michele realized she needed to connect with others who reflected the same kind of grief and loss she was experiencing as a young widow. Now Soaring Spirits has expanded to include multiple projects, including Camp Widow, Widowed Pen Pals, and the You Are Not Alone Outreach. If you’re a hospice bereavement coordinator, Soaring Spirits is a fantastic resource for you to share with caregivers whose loved one has died in your agency’s care.   You can access all the programs of Soaring Spirits International at soaringspirits.org. Interested in Camp Widow? Click here. If you’d like to connect with Widowed Pen Pals, click here. Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SoaringSpiritsInternational Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soaringspiritsint/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/widowsvoice Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Follow The Heart of Hospice on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiving podcasts by clicking here.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Write a letter to someone you’ve lost, and send it to Postal Service for the Dead! End of life doula and artist Janelle Ketcher founded Postal Service for the Dead to be an ongoing, collective project where people send letters to anyone in their life who has died. People write letters to someone special to them who has died and send them to the Postal Service for the Dead. If the writer wants to keep the letter private, they leave the back of the envelope blank. If the intention of the writer is to share it with only the Postal Service team, they mark the back of the envelope with a heart. If the writer agrees to share the letter publicly, they draw a star on the backside of the envelope. All personal information is removed before the letters are shared on social media. Janelle has found great meaning in receiving and reading the letters. She gets excited just walking to the post office. To her, holding the letters that she is unable to open holds meaning and is a special act. In Postal Service for the Dead, people can find a safe space to share their grief and even find healing.  Check out Postal Service for the Dead here.  Buy your Postal Service for the Dead merch here! Visit the Sleepy Sue website here.  Connect with Postal Service for the Dead on IG. Follow PSFTD on Facebook.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Follow The Heart of Hospice on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Death doulas Jo-Anne Haun and Karen Henderickson are bringing value to the care of people with serious illnesses. They’re the co-founders of Death Doula Network International (DDNI), a passionate community committed to connection, support & education for ANYONE interested in Death Literacy & Positivity.   As a team Jo-Anne and Karen are pragmatic and heart-centered Death Educators and facilitators, Licensed Willow EOL Educators™, speakers and end of life doulas.   With training in coaching, end of life, community death caring, conflict resolution and communications, this team has a passion for using the conversation around death as a pathway to growth and healing for individuals, communities, and the planet. Everything they do is designed to create an intimate, informative, and inspiring container for reflection, and personal action – making the “uncomfortable” comfortable when it comes to our shared mortality, living and dying.  Jo-Anne and Karen are working to dispel misinformation about the work that death doulas (also known at end of life doulas) do. Here’s what the DDNI website says about who they are. “We are practicing Death Doulas, EOL & Death Educators, and Planning Specialists. We have met with many Death Doulas, just like you and consistently hear your longing for an active death doula network focused on gathering like minds together, with a focused intention on building relationships, making personal connections, to grow yourselves, your knowledge, your work, and the Death Doula industry. More than just death education and learning, you want heartfelt connection and camaraderie. You want a true collective where we help each other to grow our relationships, our knowledge, our businesses and the industry.” Karen and Jo-Anne are educating healthcare workers about the role of the death doula, and supporting death doulas as they companion patients and their caregivers. Their passion and dedication show up in their work every day.  Read more about Death Doula Network International at ddnint.com. Become a member of DDNI by clicking here.  Connect with Death Doula Network International on their social media. Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Email Jo-Anne Haun at jo-anne@ddnint.com. Email Karen Hendrickson at karen@ddnint.com. Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Today’s guest Katrina Spade is changing the landscape of death care as CEO/founder of Recompose, an organization offering human composting as an environmental-friendly alternative to traditional burial and cremation.   Katrina is the founder and CEO of Recompose, a public benefit corporation leading the transformation of the funeral industry. She’s the designer and inventor of a system that transforms the dead into soil (aka human composting). According to the Recompose website, Recompose became the first company in the world to offer the service in December of 2020. The process is now also legal in Oregon, Colorado, Vermont, California, and New York. Recompose utilizes a natural process that nourishes the earth and regenerates the soil. The Recompose team has been carefully curated to provide empathy and respectful response for the eight to 12 weeks that a body is in their care. Recompose also offers a pre-planning program called Precompose. Human composting is an environmentally friendly and gentle way to care for the dead, and offers an opportunity to give back to the earth at the same time.   Investing in Recompose is now open to everyone during their Community Round to raise $5M. Learn more and invest in Recompose by clicking here.  Learn more about human composting at recompose.life. Read about how Recompose works with you when a death occurs here. Learn about the process of natural organic reduction that Recompose uses here. Meet the Recompose team here. Plan ahead with Precompose here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Hospice nurses Nancy Heyerman and Brenda Kizzire are on a mission to transform the end-of-life experience through education and support. They know what it takes to be a caregiver for someone with a serious illness. Between them Nancy and Brenda have over 40 years of hospice nursing experience. They’re The Hospice Queens! Like so many hospice nurses in the US, Brenda and Nancy have watched caregivers struggle with providing the best care at home. The two nurses designed the Care Plan booklet to support and educate hospice caregivers, as well as clinicians who were new to the hospice team. According to thecareplan.net, “the Care Plan was born out of the challenges experienced in supporting and educating hospice clients - especially the distressed calls, day and night, from anxious caregivers, family members, and patients asking questions many times over. The Care Plan effectively empowers patients and the care circle with this valuable information that can be accessed anytime, along with HOW-TO VIDEOS demonstrating personal care.”   The Odonata founders are passionate about supporting their colleagues and the caregiving community. Check out all the resources Odonata Care has to offer!  Find all the services and products Odonata Care offers at thecareplan.net. Order your copies of The Care Plan here. Check out the free video tutorials from Nancy Heyerman and Brenda Kizzire here.   Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com) Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.

Cathy VandenHeuvel, host of the Caregiver Cup podcast, is helping working women caregivers fill their cups. She’s got a lot of caregiving wisdom to share. Cathy and her siblings formed a caregiving team to care for both of their parents at the end of their lives. Drawing on their individual strengths, they managed both care experiences - one without hospice care and one in partnership with a hospice agency. As Cathy reflects back on the time she spent caring for her dad, she remembers important moments they shared. For her family, it was especially important to honor her dad’s wishes to die in a place that was meaningful for him. That location didn’t allow them to partner with a hospice agency. Cathy’s experience with her mom was just as meaningful, but very different. Hospice care supported the family as they navigated end stage cancer. The end of life journeys of her parents were very different, and Cathy sings the praises of having a hospice team to help. As host of the Caregiver Cup podcast, Cathy is teaching other caregivers what she learned. She also provides personal support in Caregiver Cup Circles. The Circles help to reduce isolation and create community for other unpaid caregivers. Cathy’s approach is to “gather together with other women caregivers who are experiencing similar challenges, struggles and emotions”. She knows it’s important that caregivers know they’re not going through a caregiving experience alone.   Connect with Cathy VandenHeuvel at cathylvan.com. Listen to the Caregiver Cup podcast here. Join a Caregiver Cup Circle here.   Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)    

My guest Nathan Kottkamp is the founder and chair of National Healthcare Decisions, which highlights the importance of advance care planning. National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) is an annual day recognized as a day to talk about advance care planning. My guest Nathan Kottkamp is the founder and chair of National Healthcare Decisions, which highlights the importance of advance care planning. He’s actively engaged in addressing complex public health issues. He is also a member of the Advance Directives Task Force Committee of the Supreme Court of Virginia Commission on Mental Health Law Reform, and a member of the Legislative Committee of the Central Virginia Overdose Working Group. Nathan also serves on the Williams Mullen Diversity and Inclusion and well-being committees.  Nathan is a prolific writer and regular speaker on a wide array of legal and ethics topics, including HIPAA, digital health and ransomware.   Find out more about National Healthcare Decisions on The Conversation Project website. Complete your own advance care planning with resources from The Conversation Project.   Access resources to supportNational Healthcare Decisions Day activities in your community here.  Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Certified Caregiver Consultant Elizabeth Miller is helping other caregivers figure out how to stay healthy while juggling caregiving responsibilities.  Elizabeth describes herself as a life-long caregiver, a sandwich caregiver, as well as a hands-on and remote caregiver.  During the years she spent caring for her parents, Elizabeth learned her own caregiving style.  She’s a huge fan of proactive self care - don’t wait for the crisis to hit and the oxygen mask to drop.  Elizabeth’s family pulled together to take care of her mom and dad, each of them contributing to the caregiving according to their strengths.  She knows the value of caregiving support by employers as well, and speaks to companies often about the impact of caregiving on their workforce.  It takes intention to be a great employee and be a great caregiver - and be happy and healthy as well. Nobody knows that better than Elizabeth Miller.    Connect with Elizabeth Miller’s caregiving consulting services here.  Listen to the Happy Healthy Caregiver podcast here. Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Podcaster, caregiver, and advocate Savina Makalena is sharing what she’s learned as a family caregiver.  Savina is the host of the Caring Caregiver podcast and a personal caregiver for her mom. Savy is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Gimme A Break, a non-profit organization whose mission is to care for caregivers by giving them an emotional and physical break as well as resources for their continued well-being. As a lifetime caregiver she has recognized the need to support all caregivers worldwide and has made this her life’s mission. Savy is currently the caregiver for her mom who is on hospice care. As the daughter of a hospice patient, Savy is an advocate and part of her mom’s healthcare team. She’ll tell you communicating is the key to getting the best care. She’s telling her caregiving story with honesty, grit, and transparency.   Check out the Caring Caregiver podcast at caringcaregivershow.com. Connect with Savy and Gimme a Break at gab808.org. Get your subscription to the Givers Guides online magazine at giversguides.com. Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Welcome to The Heart of Hospice

Rupert Callender identifies as a radical undertaker. He’s changing funeral services, one personal experience at a time. Rupert was moved to become an undertaker through his experience of bereavement and its aftermath. He spent much of his childhood in the hospice where his mother worked, and the caring humanistic philosophy of the hospice movement is central to his work. He opened The Green Funeral Company with Claire in 2000 and the company is now among the country’s best-known eco-friendly funeral directors. In 2012, they won Joint Best Funeral Director at the first Good Funeral Awards and were described as ‘The best undertakers of all time, by a country mile’ by Good Funeral Guide author, Charles Cowling. Ru and Claire spoke at TEDx Totnes on death, grief, ritual and radical funerals. In 2021, Claire left the company and Ru continues with a new colleague. Callender, Phillips, Cauty & Drummond: Undertakers to the Underworld was established as a partnership between The Green Funeral Company and The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu (KLF) in 2017. Find out more at: www.thegreenfuneralcompany.co.uk and follow Ru on Twitter @wayswithweirds and RuCallender.com You can watch Rupert's TEDx Totness talk here.  Buy your copy of What Remains: Life, Death, Ritual and the Human Art of Undertaking here: Chelsea Green Publishing  Amazon     Find more information about hospice philosophy, end-of-life care, and self-care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network and other caregiver podcasts by clicking here. 

Chris MacLellan is making meaning from his experience as the primary caregiver for his life partner Richard. Chris and Richard’s story was featured in the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-nominated 3-part story, “In Sickness and In Health: A Couple’s Final Journey,” which told their journey of caregiving. The story told of the challenges LGBT partners have in dealing with the medical and legal system, but it also told of the love and joy my partner Chris and Richard had in their relationship. Chris has a background in social work and also has a unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education). Knowing what they could expect from hospice care made Chris a strong advocate for Richard’s care. As founder of The Whole Care Network, Chris has made incredible meaning from his caregiving experience. Richard’s legacy lives on in the storytelling and caregiver resources. Connect with Chris MacLellan and the Whole Care Network at https://thewholecarenetwork.com/. Watch the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-nominated film “In Sickness and In Health: A Couple’s Final Journey” on Chris’s page on the Whole Care Network.   Watch My Green Folder - A Film Based on a True Story on YouTube by clicking here.   Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Martha Ranon learned firsthand what it’s like to be a personal caregiver, and now she’s working to support and empower other caregivers.  #caregiving #caregiver #dementia #Alzheimers #seriousillness #hospice #endoflife   https://theheartofhospice.libsyn.com/finding-growth-and-gratitude-in-caregiving-with-martha-ranon-of-southern-caregiver-resource-center-episode-149 Along with the team at the Southern Resource Caregiver Center (SCRC), Martha is educating unpaid family caregivers on caregiving and self care.  Martha’s first encounter with caregiving was with her great aunt.  Those caregiving responsibilities grew over time as her aunt’s needs expanded, to the point where the decision was made to move her aunt into Martha’s home.  Full time work, having children, and raising her family were all happening while Martha was providing care for her aunt.  The special considerations of caring for someone with dementia also challenged Martha and her family.  They found ways to grow and thrive during their caregiving journey.   Martha has channeled her caregiving wisdom into her career as Executive Vice President of the Southern Resource Caregiver Center.  The assistance she received motivated her to give back by volunteering and becoming further involved as a member of their Board of Directors. Her background in health and public policy has allowed her to forge relationships and collaborations with community leaders, businesses, elected officials and philanthropists in order to develop programs and services that benefit the community. Having worked directly with several local and state elected officials managing constituent services, further developed her advocacy acumen taking her to Sacramento and Washington DC to increase awareness of health-related policies. Additionally, she has testified on behalf of family caregivers before the California Commission on Aging to expand the benefits and resources for those who care for others. Martha uses her extensive public speaking skills to bring education programs to community groups throughout San Diego County including being a guest lecturer at San Diego State University, School of Social Work and teaching a course in Gerontology titled “Diversity and Aging.” You can access the caregiving resources from the Southern Caregiver Resource Center (SCRC) at scrc.care. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter! Contact SCRC by phone at 1-800-827-1008. Follow SCRC on Facebook. Find your Area Agency on Aging here.  Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)  

Haven believes every legacy needs a beautiful Haven to call home. Maggie Gannon and the Haven team support people at end of life by empowering them to share their legacy. According to Haven’s website, they are “on a mission to improve the quality of all our lives by changing the way the world thinks about death. We do this by giving everyone a beautiful home to preserve their story and grow closer together with loved ones now, while helping everyone stay connected to their memory after death.” Through storytelling, Haven offers one-stop shopping for creating and preserving legacy. It allows people with serious illness to record their memories and life stories, reconnecting them with their past.  Haven also offers a way for hospice agencies to provide this storytelling service to their patients. By integrating Dignity Therapy with technology, Haven partners with hospice teams to allow people at end of life to preserve their life stories.  End of Life Doulas can also partner with Haven. Haven is the first Doula-centric company built from clinical research to help Doulas everywhere support clients and grow private practice. Find out more about Haven’s services at hvnlegacy.com. Read Maggie Gannon’s story here. Email Maggie at maggie@hvnlegacy.com.  Find out how your Hospice Agency can partner with Haven to improve the quality of life for your patients here.     If you’re an End of Life Doula who wants to partner with Haven, click here.  Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Plan ahead so you leave a legacy, not a mess. Great advice from CPA Jody Giles, author of the Missing Pieces Plan.  According to her website jodygiles.com, Jody is “the author of the Missing Pieces Plan, a book designed to help people plan for end-of-life. The “missing pieces” are what Jody feels are the most important pieces in a financial plan however, they are often the most neglected. When included, these pieces offer the greatest sense of peace of mind and a priceless gift to loved ones.  After a cross-country move and other life events, Jody realized there were many “pieces” missing in her own family’s plan and that no resource existed to help fill in those pieces. She was driven to write the Missing Pieces Plan and help other families fill in their missing pieces and gain peace of mind. Jody has dedicated over 20 years advising families on their financial and philanthropic plans and wants to help others fill in the missing pieces and leave a lasting love letter to their loved ones.” Connect with Jody at jodygiles.com. Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network, along with a host of other caregiver podcasts by clicking here.  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Filmmaker Edgar Barens works with the Humane Prison Hospice Project to highlight the need for compassionate end-of-life programs in the US. prison system.   https://theheartofhospice.libsyn.com/edgar-barens-shares-how-prison-hospices-are-changing-lives-episode-146

Catherine Hinz is talking about grief and how her company Beyond Words Co. creates curated care packages to ensure no one feels alone through life’s hardest times. After experiencing a grief event in her own life, Catherine realized our responses to hard events in the lives of people we care about is often inadequate. Things like cards and even flowers just don’t provide the relief and comfort we’d like to give. Her company Beyond Words Co. is in the business of caring for people when life’s grief events occur. Beyond Words provides intentionally crafted boxes, with items to nurture mind, body, and spirit. Their mission is simple: to ensure that no one feels alone through life’s hardest times. While most of their boxes are sent for a death, the care packages are also sent for retirement, serious illness, divorce, relationship challenges, job loss, life transitions, and pet loss.    Order a box for someone you care about at beyondswords.co. Custom design a care package with the BeyondWords team here.  Read more about how Catherine Hinz started BeyondWords Co here.  Connect with podcast host Helen Bauer at helen@theheartofhospice.com. Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak for your podcast, event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Caitlin Crommett is the founder of DreamCatchers Foundation, an organization creating connections for older and younger generations to fulfill the end of life dreams of hospice patients. Caitlin got her start volunteering in hospice at only 12 years old. After realizing the benefits of matching younger volunteers with older adults, Caitlin founded DreamCatchers Foundation in 2009 as a non-profit organization. According to the Dream Catchers website, “DreamCatchers empowers students and their local communities to fulfill end-of-life Dreams of hospice patients, and creates powerful connections for younger and older generations.” Caitlin would tell you that intergenerational relationships bring wonderful benefits and gifts to both generations.    Read about some end of life wishes the DreamCatchers volunteers have made come true here. Support DreamCatchers with your donation or time by clicking here. Is your organization interested in being a Corporate Partner? Click here to start the process.  Want to be a Hospice Partner with DreamCatchers? Click here. Start a Young Leadership Chapter of DreamCatchers by clicking here.    Connect with podcast host Helen Bauer at helen@theheartofhospice.com. Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak for your podcast, event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)

Join thousands of people around the globe opening their hearts to allow pain and peace to sit side-by-side together without fear on National Anchor Your Heart Day, at 3:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 2. Sponsored by Opus Peace, National Anchor Your Heart Day includes a free webinar on self-compassioning with a post-webinar discussion guide. The webinar includes a free CE for nurses and mental health professionals.   10,000 dying veterans taught NP Deborah Grassman of Opus Peace the value of dying peacefully and dealing with soul injury. After working with terminally ill veterans for 30 years, Deborah and a team of hospice nurses identified the unique needs of veterans at end of life. According to Deborah’s bio, “the nurses discovered a phenomenon that has become identified as “Soul Injury®.” Led by Deborah Grassman, the five nurses left the VA to start Opus Peace, a non-profit organization with a mission of taking the Soul Injury® message to people who are not veterans and to people who are not dying. These pioneering nurses now provide educational materials and self-help tools to help people learn how to self-compassionately connect with the part of self-holding their pain and shame, allowing people to reconnect with their soul – with who they really are. A Nurse Practitioner, Deborah Grassman is the author of two books, Peace at Last and The Hero Within. She is a contributing author for four textbooks, has 25 published articles, and there are five documentary films featuring her work. Deborah directs the Opus Peace Institute where leaders are trained in how to provide programs that respond to Soul Injuries because, she contends, that 10,000 dying veterans have lessons the rest of us need to learn!” Click on the link below to register for National Anchor Your Heart Day on February 2nd: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i6YDmbPSQ--tEQ4wsAQGOg Register for the webinar by clicking here.  Here’s the link to the Opus Peace website: https://opuspeace.org/ Learn more about Soul Injury here.  Connect with podcast host Helen Bauer at helen@theheartofhospice.com. Find more information about hospice philosophy, end of life care, and self care for both personal and professional caregivers here.   Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak for your podcast, event or conference by sending an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.  Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)