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vounteer recruitment through HVA

I am interested in know if any other volunteer administrators have received volunteers through the referal service part of HVA. Also, what are your thoughts on the educational opportunities offered, I must do continous education for my Volunteer Administrator Certification and need some new avenuesJennifer Thompson, CVA
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Hospice Volunteer Research



How do hospice volunteers learn about hospice volunteer opportunities?

What motivates them to start volunteering?

Why do they continue to volunteer?

These are open-ended questions that researchers at the University of Utah Department of Communication asked 351 hospice volunteers from 3 states. The following are the research findings:

http://hospiceandnursinghomes.blogspot.com/2009/10/hospice-volunteer-research-how-what-why.html



Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”

“Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog”

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Hospice Radio in South Africa
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/drzoehospiceradioEighty-two percent of people under hospice care in South Africa are HIV positive. The network of hospices and trained hospice workers in South Africa provide a growing source of palliative care and monitor HIV positive patients on antiretroviral therapy.National HIV prevalence rate among adults (ages 15-49) is around 18.1%.Adults and children (ages newborn-49) living with HIV at the end of 2007 was 5.7 million.South Africa AIDS deaths (adults and children) in 2007 was around 350,000And AIDS orphans at the end of 2007 were 1.4 million.The upcoming Hospice Radio program, 'Partners in Healthcare' with guests from the South African Hospice and Palliative Care Association will be broadcast soon!
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I am delighted to share the news that my internet radio programming is reaching an international audience and has had over 1000 listens since my first program on Faith-based Hospice Care in November 2008. I cover end-of-life care issues that are often topics presented in our media, impacting us all in one way or another. I have had guests from AARP, NHPCO and Children’s Hospice International and the South African Hospice and Palliative Care Association. I also interviewed leaders from various American Hospice services and care givers. I invite you to have a listen, then share the link. My website, www.zoealewis.com is dedicated to Hope through Knowledge. My other great passion is improving quality of life for individuals and their families with Alzheimer ’s disease. As a published author on the topic, my books have received national recognition from the Alzheimer’s Association and the Today Show, msnbc.com and other national media. In service, respectfully, Zoë A Lewis MD, FACP, DAAHPM
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Support from Others

Author Unknown

Don’t tell me that you understand. Don’t tell me that you know.Don’t tell me that I will survive,How I will surely grow.Don’t come at me with answersThat can only come from me.Don’t tell me how my grief will pass,That I will soon be free.Accept me in my ups and downs.I need someone to share.Just hold my hand and let me cryAnd say, “My friend, I care.”

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God created life so that it would be cherished, respected and treated with divine care.
Would you feel comfortable going to a Physician who purposely withheld VITAL resources regarding your LIFE?
If you work in the Medical Field and have a patient lying in bed, shivering from cold temperatures, would you put a blanket over them?
If you saw a small child playing alone in the middle of the street, would you move them to the sidewalk before danger approached?
If you happened across a blind man dying of thirst, would you lead him to the nearby drinking fountain?
Do you send your child out to play in the snow with bare feet?
Do you put your Grandparent ailing from Alzheimer's in charge of keeping track of all of your family's weekly activities?
Stupid Questions...Common Sense
Would a Cancer Doctor at the very least, share a folder of Hospice and Palliative Care Resources (of which, btw...are not the same thing) with her Patient during their "Medically, you've run out of options, basically you'll be dead soon" Meeting?
Stupid Question...Common Sense
Right??!!
Astoundingly, it's not...as I am sadly discovering it is not COMMON SENSE for many Cancer Doctors...how could this be??!!!
The very ones whom others trust with their VERY LIVES...not respecting it??!!!
The reality of this is terrifying for us all, because one thing we ALL will have in common is dying...
Do you Respect Life? And if so, how could you not?
My Dad's Cancer Doctor never shared Palliative Care Resources with him at anytime...the only way we found out about it was through a lucky search on the Internet...so regarding this issue, in a sad, albeit strange way...Google was able to Respect my Father, while his Oncologist was not...
I love my Dad (Arend 'Odee' Lenderink)...and I am not okay with this having happened to him nor to anyone...
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It's Hard to Live without Hope

My Personal Story Regarding Hospice and Palliative Care
It was Tuesday evening, January 6th, 2009
My own little girls were on a scheduled visit with their father for a few hours and I was at my parents along with my sister eating tacos, all four of us together, at their "breakfast" table.
My Dad was feeling good, he was already on his second taco, I was filming him telling some of his favorite memories and his eyes were dancing in response to the joy he had for life, for us, for the memories he was sharing, for the time we were presently having...
The "C-word" was still looming, but the hope we had discovered that day had lifted enough for us to be able to breathe again a bit...it felt so good to have even just a glimmer of hope again...we could smile now, even laugh, really enjoy each other's presence.
Ironically hope actually had been found online, frantic googling for a glimmer of it was ultimately successful! For just hours earlier I had stumbled upon this term we'd all never heard of before called Palliative Care.
As it turned out, platelets were NOT THE ONLY thing that could be done for my Dad! There were other options, clearer directions, definite comfort for his pain, even potential treatments available for the man who supposedly had none.
Palliative Care had given us some hope back that day, the mere knowledge of it alone provided such an immeasurable gift of healing to our pain laden hopeless hearts.
My Dad died five days later, but those all too brief moments of hope, I will always cherish.
I carry them in my heart today and even now, just over a week since he moved to Heaven, they are somewhat able to soothe the intense pain of losing him.
If I could live forever in only one moment, it was that one...the moment we found hope again...it's so hard to live without hope...
Please contact your local elected officials today and urge them to increase Palliative Care Awareness via the most effective manner possible.
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What to do with competition?

Hello, I am doing some research for a class and need some of your expertise...Our local non-profit, volunteer hospice has been in operation for over 25 years. Only the nursing services were contracted out, otherwise everything is provided for free. Recently the home health nursing agency was purchased by an outside source and this person wants to add for-profit hospice service. How can the non-profit compete? Can the non-profit contract their teaching services to the for-profit?Thanks,Sara
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I just finished reading one of the most remarkable books that I've read in a very long time. It's called Hannah's Gift: Lessons from a Life Fully Lived, by Maria Housden. For those of you who have not read this exquisite book yet, you're in for a real treat! It is a heart-opening story about a courageous 3-year-old who lived with cancer for about a year before she died. Her mother Maria is a gifted writer and intuitive who has a very special relationship with her daughter and family. Their journey is one that every family needs to read about; we can all learn to live in joy and delight, even in the face of death and grief; the Present Moment is all we have, after all. In the future, when people ask me how to speak with children about death and grief, I know that I will be telling them to read Hannah's Gift.One of the most amazing things about this book is the beautiful way in which Maria is able to portray her daughter's spirit and their powerful connection/relationship. From the very start of the book, you get the picture of a charming, deeply loved child who shines her light brightly wherever she goes -- like the bright red patent leather Mary Jane's she wears! Her warm light and character and humor draw people into her life in a way that is captivating. Her entire family is clearly a very special and unique gift to one another as they move through a heart-wrenching period of their lives. Their honesty and bravery in the face of cancer and death is most inspiring. Maria's determination, too, to help Hannah and her entire family live life to its fullest is evident throughout the book. For those who want to be healed by the gift of life and death, I can't recommend this little gem of a book highly enough.And by the way, I've heard through author Maria that the book will become a movie very soon! I can hardly wait...Stay beautiful, and keep shining your light -- all the other ones are taken ;) Dancing heart~~~
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Touching a Family

One of the most beautiful aspects of providing massage in the home is the sharing of information and skill with the care team and family members of the client. I always welcome family, with my client’s permission, to be a part of the session either by observing or mirroring my movements as we massage together.If I can instill the confidence to touch, skills to touch therapeutically, and permission to touch then I know I have brought a sense of healing into the home; eased the helplessness that many times families experience, and have provided an avenue of tender communication that unites and heals what might be an uncomfortable silence at the bedside. Recently one such story came my way from a colleague and student, Elizabeth Holliday With her permission I pass the following story on to you.Every week Elizabeth goes to the studio apartment of her hospice patient who is a great-grandmother, Lucita. Sometimes Lucita’s daughter brings her two year old grandson, Pablito.” He watches me like a hawk,” writes Elizabeth.” He watches me doing quiet work with his great-grandmother, and more active work on his grandmother and the nurse, from seated positions in a kitchen chair.”Last time I saw him he watched me from the foot of the bed as I was finishing up with his great-grandmother. I gestured for him to come over. I showed him that I was holding the center of her hand. I showed him this spot on her hand, and on my hand. Then I took his hand, and showed him where it was on him. He then held that spot on his own hand, and looked at me with those familiar big eyes. I went back to my work. He stayed close by as I finished the session.”“Today”, continues Elizabeth,” when I went to my appointment, the little boy's grandmother was there. Before I left she said, "You taught Pablito something. Whenever I sit at my computer, he presses down on my legs the way he has seen you do. Also, whenever we visit Mommy he shows us all that spot on the center of the hand, and he holds her hand, just the way you showed him."I could feel Elizabeth’s heart as she wrote,”I thought my heart would burst. I'm so touched by this little boy, and by the great honor of being of service in the family home.”How sweet and ordinary this child is, to bring such innocence to the bedside of his dying great grandmother. His ability to love without fear and Elizabeth’s ability to share from her heart, brings a healing to everyone in the household. This is the essence of hospice massage.I thank Elizabeth for sharing this story and I look forward to you sharing yours.BlessingsIrene Smith www.everflowing.orgwww.everflowing.org
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Providing Hospice Services in 2009

I think we can all agree that 2008 was one of the more challenging years in recent decades for our planet and its inhabitants. Those challenges have also fostered a new sense of hope for the future as we begin 2009. The hospice sector of the healthcare industry continues to be a rapidly growing business sector in spite of the economic slowdown. The number of patients served by hospice has nearly doubled since 2000 to 1,300,000 in 2006. However, economic pressures due to the recent financial crisis and the unabated rise in healthcare costs will continue to force the hospice community to be cautious in its choices for bringing care to those who are dying. Competitive forces are also at work -- the number of hospice providers grew by almost 50% from 2003-2006 while the number of patients served by hospice grew by only 30% over the same period. Professionally managed volunteer programs within hospice organizations can help ease these financial pressures. The return on investment for well-run volunteer programs can bring major benefits to hospices. The number of For-Profit hospice service providers has been growing rapidly over this same time period. In the 2003-2006 time period the number of Not-For-Profit hospice service providers has not had any significant change while the For-Profit sector has nearly doubled. It is anticipated the number of For-Profit service providers, which are presently about equal to the number of Not-For-Profit hospice service providers, will overtake the Not-For-Profit sector and become the dominant sector in the next 5 years. This dynamic will continue to place increasing pressure on hospice administrators in Not-For-Profit agencies to pay greater attention to their costs of doing business. It is one of the Hospice Volunteer Association's goals for 2009 to help hospices improve the efficiencies associated with running their volunteer programs by offering cost-saving services to its member hospices. A few examples are: -- HVA frequently receives requests from individuals who wish to serve their communities through hospice volunteering. If you are an HVA member hospice, your hospice automatically receives first priority on referrals of new volunteers. -- HVA publishes its quarterly HV News e-magazine as an excellent educational resource that has information about hospice volunteering and volunteer management that you will find nowhere else. If your hospice is a member of HVA, all of your volunteers are permitted to join HVA for free and utilize this resource. We encourage you to market your hospice's volunteer program by advertising that volunteers will be given a free membership when they complete the training. Use this to give your hospice a competitive edge!! -- HVA's Patient Data Vault service can greatly enhance your volunteer program. Volunteers are also more apt to join your hospice when you show them how you have made the reporting aspects of being a volunteer so easy -- to say nothing of the operational and cost efficiencies volunteer managers will experience in their programs and the communications with their volunteers. We also hope to launch our Hospice Volunteer Training Institute in 2009, which will bring an exciting new perspective to training volunteers. We encourage members to give us feedback about the HCF. The features of the HCF continue to grow and improve. If you are interested in getting more involved in the HCF Community, please let me know. This year we are encouraging all of you to initiate new discusssions with your questions and to make more contributions to the discussion groups. We wish all HCF members a most healthy and happy 2009!! Greg Schneider HCF Creator/Founder President, HVA
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Local Volunteer and Writer Seeks to Spread the Truth About Hospice

Anne Osmer Reporting

Detroiter Frances Shani Parker didn’t plan on becoming a hospice volunteer, but despite a self-described “lack of interest in the medical field,” that’s what ended up happening.

Parker’s work as Cass Corridor school principal kept her more than busy when a friend, Jake, became sick with AIDS more than ten years ago. Parker helped shepherd her friend from life into death, aiding with his direct care and assisting his sister with the details of dying that, Parker reminds us, so many of us ignore until it’s too late.

She then found herself in another, similar situation, helping another person to die.

“I was wondering why people were coming into my life like this,” said Parker.

Read entire article here.


Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
"Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog"

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Helplessness

This week during a nursing home clinical practice, a student was faced with a day of complete helplessness.The first client was in severe pain when we went into the room, and in pain when we left the room.The second client was very open for touch for the first 10 minutes and then transitioned into a second personality; becoming paranoid, confused, and agitated at everything around her. The client was left agitated and confused.In both situations; however, the clients experienced moments of pleasure and obvious intimate contact.In the first client’s room the client was completely engaged for 45 minutes, holding the student’s hand periodically, and gazing into her eyes. The client animated pain quietly through facial expression, and expressed verbal gratitude for the company and the touch.What greater gift can we take to the bedside than the gift of sharing the pain and witnessing the suffering of another human being.However, as a witness for a client who is experiencing pain and/or whose disease is progressing, I am confronted with the loss of control by my client and myself. There is no longer a separation in the helplessness. Living in a culture that teaches us to value ourselves according to what we can fix, change or correct, turns feelings of helplessness into embarrassment, low self-esteem, shame, and/or guilt.The first few years of this work when I felt unable to help a client, it was hard for me to sleep. I was depressed and anxious. The sense of failure and guilt struck deep. These were difficult feelings to have. They were overwhelming.Through allowing my feelings to be present, and through sharing them with people involved in the same work, I realize that the feeling of overwhelm comes from my fear of failure — my fear of being helpless.I don’t know if I’ll ever lose this fear, but knowing how it is triggered, and the rhythm in which it rises in me, allows me to integrate it into my consciousness. The fear of helplessness has become familiar to me. I don’t have to be overwhelmed by it.This process of integration expands my heart and deepens my awareness of compassion. Having compassion for myself, I may now receive my client more fully.I look forward to your sharing and questions.Blessings,Irene Smithwww.everflowing.org1.
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The Nurse

THE NURSENURSES ARE A SPECIAL BREEDALWAYS HELPING THOSE IN NEEDA NURSES HEART IS ONE OF A KINDWITH HELPING OTHERS ON THERE MINDA NURSES SOUL IS PURE AND TRUEALWAYS THERE JUST TO HELP YOULIKE ANGELS HIDDEN IN THE NIGHTFOR YOUR LIFE THEY WILL FIGHTTHEY DONT SEE COLOR ,RACE ,OR CREEDTHEY'LL CARE FOR YOU ,THATS GAURANTEEDTHE TRUE NURSE DOESN'T DO IT FOR THE MONEYTHEY DO IT JUST TO HELP SOMEBODYAND EVEN THOUGH THEY GET A PAYTHE TRUE NURSE WOULD DO IT ANYWAYFOR THEM IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW MUCHIT'S MORE ABOUT THE LIVES THEY TOUCHHELPING STRANGERS NIGHT AND DAYTAKING CARE OF YOUR NEEDS IN EVERY WAYAND THOUGH THERE DEEDS ARE RARELY TOLDTHE NURSE IS TRUELY A SPECIAL SOULAND AS YOU READ THESE WORDS I WRITEREMEMBER TO SAY A PRAYER FOR A NURSE TONIGHT
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HIPAA and Computers – Vigilance Required

Today I posted an article about Providence Health & Services, a Seattle-based non-profit health system, fined $100,000 as part of a settlement agreement with federal regulators for HIPAA violations relating to computer operations involving Protected Health Information (PHI) of over 386,000 patients. Using computers is a necessity if hospice organizations want to operate with the required financial efficiencies that will ensure their survival in the marketplace, especially at a time when Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is reducing hospice reimbursement rates. Also as more and more for-profit companies are entering the hospice care field, competition is only going to get tougher. Attention to the bottom line will have an ever-increasing significance. Is Your Hospice in Compliance? The number of ways that a hospice can unknowingly violate HIPAA with respect to EPHI is numerous. Having a good Information Technology (IT) staff is a good start but does your IT staff have a good understanding of the HIPAA Security Rule? I frequently communicate with volunteer coordinators/managers on this issue and it is clear that hospices have many questions about what you can and cannot do with computer EPHI data. The questions cover a wide range of topics, many of which some hospices are completely unaware that such topics even warrant consideration. Here are some examples of questions to ask yourself, if you are managing a department that is using computers at your hospice: 1. Do you use e-mail to transmit patient information to or from a volunteer? 2. Do you use e-mail attachments to transmit patient information to or from a volunteer? 3. Do you attempt to get around HIPAA by sanitizing (i.e. anonymizing) patient data before sending it by e-mail? 4. Do you store patient data on removable storage media such as a USB stick? All of these questions represent commonly occurring situations and all of them could result in your hospice being faced with criminal penalties for violations of HIPAA. Need Help with HIPAA? Contact HVA The Hospice Volunteer Association (HVA) is working with hospices to help them reduce the potential HIPAA violations risks associated with PHI related computer operations. HVA recently initiated a program called the Patient Data Vault (PDV) which allows hospices to securely transmit, store and retrieve Electronic Protected Health Information (EPHI).
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Goodbye Ceremony

Choosing to visit Celine after visiting hours seemed perfect; however I knew I should call and alert nursing staff. I explained to James, Celine’s nurse, that I was on my way to the hospital to give Celine a massage. James with extraordinary compassion in his voice told me Celine had just died. I took a breath. The silence encouraged me to ask if I could come anyway. James said, yes.Lavender scented lotion was Celine’s favorite, so I packed it in my bag and called a taxi.Celine had been my neighbor for 25 years and allowing others in her private space was not Celine’s way. Being called for touch support in the final months of her life was quite an honor.Eight weeks later Celine became bedridden and no longer capable of caring for herself. Being there when her power of attorney called and told her that I had to call 911 was one of the hardest moments I’ve ever experienced with a client.As I packed Celines’s bag and assisted her in getting ready for the ambulance we both knew she would never see her home of 45 years again.When the taxi arrived at the hospital, I went to the 4th floor. James appeared with extended arms. We hugged. “What a beautiful idea” he said.There was a feeling of deep peace in Celine’s room as she lay like an African queen on a royal voyage. James removed the iv’s from her arms, the cooling blanket at her feet, and left us.I looked around the room. There were several stones and some pieces of wood. Wood and rocks had always comforted Celine with the spirit of the forest.I spoke to Celine of the peace I felt in the room and of the beauty I witnessed in her open unfurled face. I told her I forgave myself for calling 911, and after sensing the peace around her in that moment; I knew she forgave me as well.The scent of lavender filled the air as I slowly and gently anointed her body for the last time. Tears washed away my guilt and my heart received the honesty and fullness of our experience. It seemed guided as I placed the pieces of driftwood on Celine’s heart, solar plexus, and belly and laid the perfect lightweight sand colored stone on her forehead.Soft tones began to come through my throat and a chant was revealed. “You are the texture of the wood. You are the voice of the rock people. You are the movement of the breeze blowing through your window. You are harmony converging.” I repeated this several times.Two nurses entered. Each stayed for a while sharing tears and expressing gratitude for the ceremony.I requested that the stones and pieces of wood remain with Celine as she was transported from the 4th floor. James agreed.As I waited for my taxi, I stood deeply humbled by the blessings in my life and by my chosen work.Putting this experience into words has been yet another blessing. Thank you. I look forward to your comments.Irene Smithwww.everflowing.org1.
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Conscious Living and Conscious Dying

My website, www.consciouslivingdying.com, offers online courses for people who want to gain more tools for working with the dying through hospice or through caregiving to their own family members.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~You are far more wonderful than you think you are.Rest with that. Rest easy with that. Breathe again. Youare doing fine. More than fine. Better than fine. You'redoin' great. So relax. And love yourself today.
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Hospice Volunteers Paid?

Hi and Thanks for letting me become a member here.I have a unique situation. Have been a Hospice Manager of Volunteers for 20 years, in 3 different hospices. My administrator gave me some strange information the other day and I am unable to verify it anywhere, which makes me wonder where this information came from.She is saying that I can tap into the RSVP volunteer program, cross train them to do hospice volunteering, RSVP will pay them their ususal stipend as well their mileage...and I well still be able to take their hours as hospice hours for our purposes.It has always been my understanding that we could NOT use RSVP volunteers as hospice vols, and be able to take there hours as VOLUNTEER hours.Using RSVP volunteers for hospice has always been a "no-no" in every place I have ever worked.Any input would be most welcome...Thanks so much, Jan
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The Blessing of Spirit

This August 24th marked the 4th anniversary of the passing of my dear friend and teacher the late pioneering thanatologist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross MD.We met in 1979 in Escondido California when I attended my first Life Death Transition workshop.Several workshops later Elisabeth wrote a reference letter in my behalf and told me to take it to hospice. So began my work with the dying ,and a 25 year friendship with a dear colleague.Elisabeth was a person of passionate spirit.She taught me to open my heart to the spiritual nature of life.Sunday August 22,2004 I came out of my shower, went into my bedroom ,layed on top of the bed to relax and looked out to the tops of the trees from my 3rd floor attic apartment.I live in the middle of San Francisco in a nice but very crowed neighborhood. I walk past the homeless to do my daily errands and the underground trains come out of the tunnel right across the street . My mornings of looking out to the trees are a gift that I treasure.As I gazed towards the trees I saw a pair of wings rising from the stairs below my deck. I raised my head in curious awe when an eagle appeared, perched on the railing, and looked into my room." Oh my God! "I exclaimed." what is this?" It was a small golden eagle or hawk. Neither would have been flying around my neighborhood ,and this did not fly over. It came up to intentionally perch on the railing of my 3rd story deck.I sat in utter amazement and wondered what it meant. After about two minutes it flew away. I immediately got my animal spirits book and looked up hawk. A Native American omen of healing, rebirth, and a sign that I should be alert to what is coming ahead. The eagle is the messenger to God who takes our prayers to Heaven. I knew I was being given a very important message but I wasn't clear what it was.I emailed a good friend in Arizona and related the event.Tuesday morning August 24th I received an email telling me of the death of my dear friend Elisabeth' Kubler Ross , I took a shower and went into my room to lay on top of the bed and look out to the trees. As I looked out I came to clarity:Elisabeth's totem animal was the golden eagle. The golden eagle had been sent to me to tell me good bye from Elisabeth. I wept in deepest gratitude for this gift, and for the wisdom to recognize it.May Elisabeth's spirit continue to soar. May her spirit continue to remind us to live now, to live fully and to speak our truth.I look forward to your stories of vision and spirit.Many Blessings Irene smithwww.everflowing.org
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miracle

An unusual happening one that goes against the normal laws of nature.Miracles are done by the power of GOD.Psalm 77:14God performs all mircalesHebrews 11:16For he has prepared a CITY for themHold your FAITH at all timeThe FIRST thing upon awaking::I believe I believe I believe
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CAREGIVERS STORE

Just Published!!
by Rashani Rea & Kathy Douglas

Those who companion suffering daily, such as hospice nurses and volunteers, will surely appreciate this beautiful work. With 62 original art collages by Rashani Réa, five beautiful chapters by Kathy Douglas, and a foreword by Jean Watson, this exquisite book is a peaceful refuge for contemplation, inquiry, reflection and inspiration for those who traverse the joys and sorrows of nursing.

Kathy Douglas, RN, MPH-HA is a nationally recognized nurse leader, filmmaker and entrepreneur. 

Rashani Réa is a prolific artist and musician, a creatrice of sanctuaries and a respected spiritual mentor.

“This is a beloved book and beyond a book. It is an evocative, poetic, ecstatic, and inspirited sacred, experiential calling. A calling to you--YES, YOU.” 

— Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, Living Legend (AAN)

“Those who companion suffering daily need to turn inward to metabolize what they have witnessed. This exquisite book, filled with beautiful images and poetic wise words, is the inspiration and support needed to grow a wise heart.” 

— Frank Ostaseski, founder and director of the Metta Institute and author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully

“In this unique time of the COVID-19 pandemic, this book should be considered a tribute to the tremendous courage being displayed by nurses around the world. There is much wisdom conveyed throughout by those who have been there serving others with such grace.” 

Greg Schneider President, HVA, co-author of The Changing Face of Hospice Volunteering in Hospice and Palliative Care 

Buy Now